Toa Titans
by krikanalo
Summary: Against his better wishes, Lewa Nuva is booted from the Toa and entangled in a series of events he didn't intend to get into. Trapped in an unknown world, he comes across a group of teens who might just be able to help him solve his problem. *REVISION IN PROGRESS*
1. A Dreary Afternoon

**TOA TITANS**

PART ONE: BEGINNING

Lewa Nuva was, to put it quite frankly, bored. Tediously, drearily, mind-numbingly-bored. He'd been on what many would call an amazing adventure over the past one and a half years- freeing infected Rahi from Makuta Teridax's clutches, collecting the Great Kanohi Masks, stopping an invasion by the Bohrok, reclaiming his elemental powers after they had been stolen and helping to put his team, the Toa Nuva, back together, fighting off the Rahkshi, defeating, or rather, _barely overwhelming_ the Piraka and saving the Mask of Life, preparing Mata Nui for his reawakening, going _inside _him to do the final deed, and attempting to save the Matoran after Teridax claimed Mata Nui's body for his own. Now he was resting on a new planet, Spherus Magna, having recently found himself in the former Bota Magna's jungles and gone on an expedition with some of its residents to take down a common foe. It was always nice to take a breather after some intense action, but Lewa, being the uppity person that he was, wanted to get out and explore.

"Oh, _c'mon_, Tahu!" he'd exclaimed to the Nuva's leader. "I've been cage-cooped up in here for long-days! Can't I quick-do _anything_?_"_

"No, Lewa," Tahu had responded. "That… healer friend of yours has recommended you stay in bed a few days longer. I trust him pretty strongly, seeing as he was able to escape Marendar with your life."

Lewa groaned. Good ol' fire-spitter, always making the air Toa's transgressions especially clear. He hated it, but he knew he couldn't complain. Tahu _was_ the leader of the Agori-Matoran confederation, after all.

"Could I ask Gali to health-check on me?" Lewa asked. "She seems to think-know a lot more about that stuff than the cross-wired magic-witch does."

"Can't. She's down by the Great Ocean, surveying the area for potential settlement. I wouldn't have preferred asking her for assistance as is, if that helps."

Sigh. "Ice-brother? Kohlii-head?"

"They're both helping Glatorian improve their combat matches with Kohlii. Strange, but it is supposed to be very beneficial."

"Taka? Turaga Matau? ...Onua?"

"No, no, and… what? I don't see how Onua will be able to aid you." Tahu got up from his seat by Lewa's bed and walked to the door. "Stay in bed for a few more hours, at the very least. Berix _should_ be by soon with your dinner. If he's not, I swear on the Great Beings that I will do mentally scarring things to him. He has stolen his last piece of 'Toa Nuva merchandise.'"

Lewa frowned and slid down onto the bed's pillow. "Fine by me. I… I just star-wish I would be get out and be able to _do _somethin', y'know. Wind-flying, tree-climbing, fight-sparrin', anything that doesn't involve me being glue-stuck to this rest-bed."

Tahu's usual scowl softened to a smile. "And I'm sure you will. These sorts of things take time. You can't rush it like you usually do." He silently closed the door of the hut, uttering a farewell as he went… only to erupt into a shouting match with a stranger outside and rush back into the hut. "Karz, I _knew_ my luck was too good to be true! Change of plans, brother. It appears the Toa Nuva will be congregating once again… _tomorrow_."

The green hero beamed. "Really? That's ever-awesome! I can't long-wait to…" He paused, as if looking for something to say, and winced. "Wait, brother. The others do not know of my… eheheh… fun-exploits with the Jungle Agori. They were not exactly the most accepting of my previous failures. What if they truth-find me? What if they dark-hate me for going off on my own and being generally cross-wired? What if-"

"Lewa." The Toa of Fire was being unusually gentle today. "Everything will be fine. I'll make _sure_ of it."

"Y'sure?"

Tahu grinned. "Ever-sure."

Lewa smiled at his brother's attempt to use tree-speak and quickly returned the gesture. "Alright, then." He reached forward to fist-bump Tahu and pulled him into a hug. "Much-thanks, Tahu. You may not be the best of team-leaders, but Karzahni condemn me if you're not a damned good fire-spitter and a damned good Toa-brother."

The red being pulled out of Lewa's grasp and returned to his previous place outside the door. "I might say the same for you." Heading out again, he quickly pulled his head back in to add, "Rest up, Lewa. It looks like we're having a… family reunion very soon."

* * *

A lone Gordanian ship cruised through the inky black reaches of space. Contained inside were a crew 22,000 strong, a weapons stock of a good billion, an investigative team for the Galactic Coalition (nicknamed by its members as "the Citadel",) the king and queen of Gordania, and one very important prisoner. The presence of the crew and team was normal enough, that of the monarchy a bit peculiar, but the fact that the _GEF Stormfront _had actually captured a non-Quarian beingwas definitely out of the ordinary.

Said prisoner had been obtained after a recent attempt to invade the planet of Tamaran. The Imperial Fleet had been able to breach the world's defenses fairly easily, and was only stopped after one of the royal family had bargained off her "sister" in exchange for the ships leaving her clan's airspace. The offer was admittedly futile at best, but the General of the Fleet had been especially generous. After all, who could deny the glory of capturing an unknown species and the chance to bathe in its beauty?

At the moment the prisoner, who had not been given a name but was called _Rutan'gah_, slave, for communication purposes, was moping alone in a cage designed to block her apparent superpowers, having had apparently gained them after a medical examination. They ran the glut of a regular Gordanian war hero for the most part: super speed, super strength, limited invulnerability, flight, and for some odd reason, lasers (the medical team had dubbed them _X'aniks_, or star bolts) and the ability to learn languages via physical contact. The last three were highly suspected to be hereditary abilities, as many soldiers had been found flirting with Tamaranean natives only to be found dead in a few hours. The fact that the prisoner was superpowered was a dream come true for the mass media, and they along with the monarchy were quickly shuttled on to the transport to record the news and accompany the prisoner to the Citadel for further inspection.

The officer currently assigned to watch the Rutan'gah, Private Le'eUrikk, sighed and ambled over to the cage, glaring at her. Moping usually meant that the prisoner was tired, bored, or needed sustenance. An excess of either of the three meant that the prisoner was very annoyed, and would need to be sedated and disciplined as needed before she caused havoc.

Private eUrikk sighed. "What do you request, Rutan'gah?"

No answer. This was normal. It took a bit of prodding before the prisoner was even barely alert enough to listen.

The officer tried again. "I _ask_ what you _require_, slave."

She grunted at him before sticking her tongue out at him and blowing, some spit being released. A "raspberry", the Sociology Inspector had called it. He frowned, now quite chuffed, and attempted to get her attention again.

"Tamaranean. Your attention has been requested on the blessing of Lord Tro'gaar." Still nothing. Infuriated by this point, he yelled out, "_Listen to me! I_ _order you to answer, you worthless little-" _

This time she responded. Hard. A hand reached out and _pulled_ the Private by his shirt collar in front of her face, just on the border of the cage.

"No. You will listen to_ me, _you pathetic excuse for a soldier," she growled. "I have no intent on staying here. Let me out or I will be forced to deal great amounts of harm to you and your ship."

Le' frowned. She had never given him _this_ kind of response before. Unsure of how to react, he pulled his head back and tittered. Laughed. Chortled. He was sure his head officer had heard, but what was he supposed to do, shut himself up? He paused for a moment before snickering and guffawing again.

Bad move. In an instant, the Rutan'gah tightened her grip on eUrikk's uniform and snarled, eyes glowing a brilliantly neon green. "You were _warned_, nuisance. Stop, before I am compelled to destroy you."

"Stop? _Stop? _You realize that your aggressive reaction had not been recorded in our logs, correct? What was I _supposed _to do?"

It was another poor choice of actions. The prisoner gritted her teeth, and Le' swore he could feel his neck getting hotter, a green glow shimmering on the fabric… no, wait, _it was_! He could distinctly feel his neckline burning very badly, the smell of smoke emanating from it. How was this possible? From what he had accrued of the medical team's tests and the Coalition's press releases, the Rutangah's lasers had only been shown to have destructive impacts on objects, with no side effects. Confused and beginning to get very frightened, the Private decided he could do one of two things: turn around and run, or escalate his aggressions in return. He ended up doing the only thing he could think of.

"That is _enough_, Rutan'gah. You will _cease_ your overtly aggressive actions before I call the Gordanian Army to wreak havoc on your home planet. Will that not teach you to follow the directions of superiors, irritant? Will that not teach you to listen and respond? _Will that not teach you to-__**urk!**_"

He was in big trouble. Sure of it. The girl all but screamed at him before yelling, "_ENOUGH!_" eUrikk attempted to wriggle free of her grasp, but found himself feeling even tighter than before, beginning to succumb to a lack of breath.

"I will _NOT _take the savage actions of this vessel anymore, you _clorbag_! I will _NOT! _I _MUST_ get out of this Solaris-accursed hellhole and seek revenge on my loathsome fool of a sister! You shall see to this or I will-"

"Uh- um- mayh- maybe I could cre- scrounge a deal of some sort… yeah… l-l-lemme just go and speak to my superior, okay? It'll only tak-k-ke a moment, I swear on Z-Z-Zorg-"

The Rutan'gah scowled, hatred leaking out of the blinding spotlights that were her eyes. She then paused. For a moment, Le' could almost make out a smirk. Triumphant or sneaky, he wasn't able to tell-

"YOUR WORTHLESS VARBLERNEK GODS MEAN _NOTHING _TO ME_! _I SOLEMLY SWEAR ON MY AUTHORITY AS PRINCESS OF TAMARAN THAT YOUR EXPLOITS HAVE BEEN DEEMED IRRELEVANT," she screeched. Le' now felt very pale, even though he was sure the Gordanians' circulatory systems were not capable of that. "YOU HAVE BREATHED YOUR LAST, REPTILIAN SCUM. MAKE IT COUNT."

His neck glowed more, the burning smell growing ever more apparent. He would have to go to the cleaners' and- wait- _last words?_ No! He wasn't going to die that easily! He was Le'eUrikk, Private-Class soldier of the Gordanian Army, lover of many, father to one, once a famous author, and he would not allow this- this _pest_ of an alien to kill him before he could-

But it was too late. His neck and her eyes glowed almost to a blinding point, forcing him to cover his eyes how he could. The air grew stifling, his breathing short and ragged. The X'aniks in her hands grew and grew, building up pressure, before giving up and exploding. Le' screamed in pain before being knocked backwards by the force and collapsing to the floor. _At least I was able to get Trekkr famous, _he thought as he passed.

Princess Koryand'r rose out of the rubble, cleaning herself off as she strolled out of the ruined containment room, and couldn't help but grin. She hadn't been able to pull anything like that off in a while- not since she gained her peculiar new powers, anyway. "Be sure to send for some spring cleaning," she noted to the Private's corpse before passing through the door on her way to the captain's deck. _On your toes, sister. I will soon be back for revenge._

* * *

Lewa was pretty sure he was dreaming. The perception of such things was a sometimes-fortunate gift he was given when the Bahrag took over his mind. It didn't seem like something anyone would be fond of, he had noted at first, but later fights, rests, and study sessions with Onua (he quite hated those) led him to believe much the opposite. Dreams were really fun when you were able to meddle with them, especially when they appeared to be prophetic visions such as the one he currently viewed.

He was flying down a city street, brightly lit skyscrapers soaring into the sky not unlike those in Metru Nui. Chatter and ambient noise filled the air, and the smell of methane permeated the senses. It seemed normal enough, just a lot more… modern; that was a constant thing he noticed. None of the people or objects lining the street appeared to resemble anything close to anything in the Matoran Universe or Spherus Magna, being much more technologically advanced. The thought should have scared him, but he felt surprisingly complacent about it, as he was sure the populace did. There was a restaurant down the road, anyway. He was hungry for some Gukko flesh (he mentally slapped himself for not having accepted Berix's offers of nourishment, however atrociously they had been cooked.)

He was about to descend down on the restaurant when a sudden boom reverberated above the city block. Lewa couldn't make head to toe of what it meant. He quickly switched to his Kanohi Akaku, scanning for the source of the noise, when he found… Shadows? Here? That was odd. The only current source of them, the aptly named Shadow Legion, had consistently attempted to advance on New Atero and retreat before being pummeled by Ackar and his fresh new team. (Ah, Ackar. Lewa was sure he wouldn't understand what was happening either. The trait was shockingly something they had in common.) Either way, he had to try and keep them out of trouble or risk grave danger to nearby citizens. The Toa righted himself from his descent, switched to his Miru, and sped towards the threat, formulating a plan of action on the way.

The Shadows were huge and still growing. They had been strangely compelled by an unknown force to take over an important landmark and spread their darkness. It was an unusual plan, but it was all right for them. They would comment on said unusualness, but a chipper voice noted that they didn't need to, this being a "future-dream." They were then pummeled in the face by an apparent gust of wind.

Lewa frowned. His elemental powers were doing a good deal of damage to the mammoth blob, but they wouldn't be enough. He had to find backup- he needed his siblings! _But they aren't ever-here_, he sighed. It wouldn't be that big of an issue if he hadn't required their specific abilities-

"Titans, GO!" a nearby voice shouted. Lewa froze. Titans? _Titans?_ He didn't know why both he and the Chronicler had thought of the exact same thing, but he guessed these… Titans would be important sometime in the future. No time to speculate how, however. He readied himself and took a moment to ask the Chronicler why his thoughts weren't being noted down in the Matoran's writings. The Chronicler only responded that it wouldn't make much sense to, being that he was the only person in the scene. He also reprimanded the Toa for wasting time and breaking the fourth (fifth?) wall, when he should have been helping them out.

Before Lewa could inquire as to why breaking said wall was a bad thing, he was sent flying towards the voice. A group of people shot by it, making Lewa uneasy that he was going to crash into them. No need to worry- being that this was only a vision, he had no reason to join them at the moment, and as such they merely passed right through him. _Dreams have such a bad-sense of joke-humour_, Lewa noted with a frown.

He took a moment to examine the group. They all dressed in strange uniforms, and gathered in a pose that evoked memories of the Toa Nuva, in positions to take down a common foe. There appeared to be five among them: a giant… robot? A Hobahto elf? A girl in a robe? Another girl, donning a miniskirt and boots? (Lewa dinged himself for the lewdness of both remarks.) Finally, he noted a boy in a suit, who appeared to be the source of the earlier call. _So these are the Titans, _Lewa supposed. _Strange-weird group-band. I guess I'm the sixth, if this is indeed a Toa-team? _The Chronicler reflected his remarks and asked him to keep focused on the show. Lewa pouted but obeyed.

As the two watched, the boy in the suit called on the miniskirt girl and the Hobahto elf to strike down the Shadows. He also commanded the robot and the robe girl to take him down from behind. Pulling out a staff (his Toa Tool, the Toa considered,) he ran and _jumped_ onto the monster, using some strange throwing weapons he had pulled out to latch on. The boy smirked and threw his staff back for the killed, but paled when he realized he was sinking _into_ the giant.

"We need help!" the boy yelled. "Where's Windflyer?"

"I _told _you, man!" the robot responded. "He's not here! I've been checking over and over again!"

_Windflyer? That's lame-stupid. Sounds like something I'd use, though…_ Lewa frowned at the possible "spoilers" he was being given, and was about to complain to the Chronicler before the miniskirt girl all but broke his heart.

"But he _must _be here!" she cried. "These shadows are his enemy! How are we to fight them without him to aid us?" Lewa visibly jerked, saddened by the tone of her response. He had a pretty good feeling that he _was_ Windflyer now, and wanted to confirm this by telling her. Alas, though, the effects of a dream prevailed, and the Toa of Air was left to drown in the girl's sorrow.

"Can it, Star. He's obviously got a good reason for ditching us," the robe girl intoned. Lewa sighed in relief. _Finally, reason._ He swore he saw her look right through him, raising an eyebrow questioningly. He shrugged his shoulders in return, figuring she had some sort of spirit-tracking ability. Whatever reaction he had to this was overshadowed by the Hohbato elf, who quickly jumped around, constantly shapeshifting into a bunny.

"Aww, c'mon!" he pouted. "Why would he need a crummy excuse to leave? He obviously wanted to rest up at a café and sip some coffee-"

"Quiet." A new voice rang out, deeper and smoother than the others. Obviously evil. Bad news for sure. Its recipient, a Toa in armour wearing a peculiarly halved mask, stepped into view. "Hello, Titans."

"Slade!" the suited boy roared. "I thought we got rid of you!"

Lewa stared in confusion. A recurring enemy? These guys were _serious._

"Thought is a very questionable process, Robin," the Toa who Lewa assumed was called Slade responded. "I find that in the heat of battle, it is best to just do. No logic. Only actions. Helps the muscles immensely."

Robin snarled. "I don't _care,_ Slade." He marched up to the Toa's mask. "What do you have to do with this monster?"

"Robin!" Star wept. _She seems to sorrow-cry a lot._

"Oh my, Robin," Slade said mockingly. "I'm hurt that you would think such a thing. Why don't you ask _him?_"

He was pointing straight at Lewa now. The Toa of Air paled.

All eyes were on the new variable that Slade had just directed their attention to. He grinned sheepishly and waved. "Uh, hello-hi?"

The Titans obviously didn't give him his expected response. Robin turned heel and went as close to the being as he could go. "Do you know anything about this threat?"

The robot… automaton… machine froze. "Um… not much that will save-help you here. It's a bit hard to understand-know. Why are you inquire-asking me this, anyway? Isn't this a later-dream? Shouldn't you think-know the answers already? I'd figured that…"

Robin growled. He was obviously hiding something. "Why did you stop? You _definitely_ know about him. Tell me _now!_"

"Um… I would… except THERE'S A GIANT-BIG SHADOW-MONSTER COMING UP BEHIND YOU!"

"'Giant-big shadow-monster'? Hah." Robin smirked out of pride. "Likely stor- Uh oh. He's… breathing down my neck, isn't he?"

The robot smiled grimly. "Mmm-hmm."

Lewa had not been lying for the sake of making the story randomly funny. There really _was _a giant shadow monster right behind them. Heroic instincts overpowering his conflicting desires to hide from and punch this Robin in the face, he pushed him out of the way and levitated up to the monster's head, posing exasperatedly. He sighed dramatically and rolled his eyes. "What is your _plan-deal_, shadow-monster? I don't even _meet-know_ these Titans, and I'm pretty sure they're Toa-heroes. There's no point in dark-hurting them. _Go planet-home_." It was a stupid response, but what could he do?

The giant obviously didn't care. He picked Lewa up by one of his jets, crushed it, and threw him off the building.

"Windflyer!" Star and the robot screamed.

"Lewa!" Robin, and the robe girl yelled.

"Dude!" the Hohbato elf screeched.

Falling off the side of the building in TV-approved slow motion, he grinned. _How do they know my call-name?_ He pondered this for a while, before realizing the task at hand. Calling upon the Miru, he attempted to slow or even reverse his fall before he realized it wasn't working. _Karz. _He hit the ground hard and died.

* * *

The _GEF Stormtrooper _continued on its voyage through space. Lieutenant H'ssiah, currently on the helm, sighed to himself and relaxed in the captain's chair. The crew's prized Rutan'gah had just escaped from its confinement and rampaged through the ship, causing great damage to in-flight systems, an unknown amount of casualties, and a loss of the monarchy's famous Sprite Pendant. They could all be replaced, but the knowledge that the Imperial Fleet could fumble at the worst of times would forever remain in citizens' memories. He _had_ to make it up to them somehow…

* * *

Koryand'r slinked through the tight confines of the ship's Departure Room, attempting to find a way out of the accursed thing. Holding back a smile, she thought of the total destruction she had wreaked on her heartless kidnappers; using her newfound energy powers, which she had nicknamed starbolts in honour of the soldier she had killed, she had charged through the vessel's numerous tunnels and obliterated any and all Gordanians in her sight. The princess _might… _have caused some collateral damage along the way, but for the moment, the idea did not occur to her. She was too focused on kicking her sister's backside to care.

Backing up to a wall from a guard outpost, the Tamaranean shimmied along it face first, trying to find something that would allow her to escape. Hitting her nose on a hard surface, she frowned and attempted to rub it before realizing what she had discovered. _An escape pod! _The girl mashed some buttons on an accompanying keypad and gasped when she had set off an alarm.

A cache of Gordanian soldiers marched towards her. She _had_ to get out of here, escape pod or not. Willing up all her strength, the princess balled her hand into a fist and punched the wall. _Hard_. Setting off a starbolt to distract her would-be aggressors, Koryand'r jumped out of the hole she had created and sped off towards the first planet she could find…

* * *

Upon hearing the incessant beeping noise of the ship's security system, H'ssiah winced. Not the _Rutan'gah_ again! It was a pain to apprehend her the first time she was captured, and to try again would be pure Tlabea'M torture, _especially _after what the medical team had discovered about Private Le'eUrikk's death. Unfortunately, something would have to be done to appease the populace; and so, with a labored breath, he called for a security team to check up on her. Before folding into his chair again, he noticed something peculiar about the slave's whereabouts on the system readings; she had just left its boundaries. Great. She would probably head to a new planet, hoping to find solace there…

Wait. A new planet. ssiah smiled. If he wished to retain his honour and go after the Rutan'gah, he would be killing three aVVia'ns with one stone: annexing another domain for Gordania, appealing to the king and queen, and creating a better-equipped confinement system for her. It was the perfect idea! The planet seemed like just the right fit for an agricultural outpost… wait…

_Spherus Magna? _That wasn't right. A cataclysmic event, dubbed by its residents as The Shattering, had imploded the planet's core, all but destroying it by exploding it into three fragments. Not only had the event separated whatever Gordanian forefathers had immigrated there, it had also happened 200,000 _years_ ago. There was no way it could be back to normal; no regular way he could imagine, anyway. He struggled to comprehend the concept of higher beings as is, and was not prepared to understand how they would restore Spherus Magna to its former glory.

Still, though… a planet was a planet. This new Spherus Magna had no real reason to be unexplored, but if searching for the Rutan'gah there meant the chance to further the splendor of Gordania, he was all but willing to ignore it. "Send in the troops," he bellowed over the intercom. "We are going after her."

* * *

Well. _This_ will probably come off as a surprise. Many of the TT crossovers I've read have paired up media with similar elements; most of the time the complementing show is- _sigh_- _Danny Phantom_, but other times it is _Young Justice_ (obviously,) _Ben 10_, _Naruto_, _Harry Potter_, or _X-Men: Evolution_. None of them have involved Bionicle. This is fine, except I got back into both series a few months ago and couldn't help but notice that the two would gel together _surprisingly_ well! (Whether or not that's because the "kids-need-action-and-also-characters" attitude was permeating pop culture at the time I am not sure.) With that in mind, I've started writing one myself, as an experiment of sorts to see if I'm right... I mean, as a story for FFN to read. Heh.

A few notes before we go on:

1. If it wasn't _bashed_ into your skull already (sorry about that,) this story takes place post-2010 (in Bionicle's case, anyway; in _Teen Titans_'s case we're pre-_Go!_) That means the Great Spirit Robot has been destroyed, Mata Nui is dormant, and the Toa and Matoran are trying to start a new life with the Glatorian and Agori on Spherus Magna. I fast-forwarded a little bit because I didn't see the Gordanians passing by just as the planet was reformed; in-story, we're starting off a few days after the residents of the planet have beat the snot out of Velika, who controlled Marendar as a means to further his own agenda. There's three or so months of gap between the "end" of _The Yesterday Quest_ and this, but you can probably formulate what happens on your own.

2. Lewa is the main character in this because a) he's my favourite character (sorry again,) and b) when it comes to the Toa Nuva, he's the only one I can imagine meshing with the Titans well (if at all.) The others don't seem to work. *shrug* They'll be in the story later on, though.

3. I'm making up a _lot_ about the Gordanians here. Have no idea why; it just felt necessary to do so. Probably helps as a little backstory for Starfire.

4. I write WAY too much and as such you probably won't bee seing some action for a while. If that bothers you, tell me._  
_

5. I'm probably not writing anyone in character and you should tell me if that bothers you too.

6. Um... just... read and review if you like the story, I guess.

Onward to victory!


	2. Touchdown

**Chapter Two: Touchdown**

Lewa inhaled and opened his eyes with a start. He had _not_ been having a good night. A bunch of dreams had been incoherent enough to be uncontrollable, the distant sounds of Bohrok had flooded his ears, and to top it off, he had had a nightmare. A divinatory one, he considered. The details were a bit foggy, but from what he could make of it, he had fought to save a city from a shadow monster with the "help" of some "titans." Before he could get in an effective blow, a Toa (of Shadow? of Twilight, as Taka had briefly labeled himself?) had outed him for being a "traitor", and an attempt to sass the monster had led to him being thrown off a building and killed. He shuddered at the thought. What a way to go.

A knock sounded at his hut's door. It seemed its source had been there for a while. The Toa didn't want to leave it waiting any longer, so he quickly called, "Come in!"

A blue-armoured Agori scampered in. "Oh, Toa Lewa!" He sighed. "You'd been out for a while. I thought somethin' bad had happened to you in your sleep. Looks like you were just being lazy, as always…"

Lewa pouted. "I'm not lazy, Berix. My mind just works so fast that I end up having no motivation to do anything." Pausing for a moment, he continued, "Forgive the none-lack of tree-speak. I've been seek-reviewing a recent-dream."

Pulling a cardboard box out of his pack, Berix frowned. "A nightmare. I'd figured. You were trashing about quite a bit back there, Mr. 'I'm not an enemy.' What exactly happened?"

The Toa of Air sat up in his bed. "A future-dream. Battle-fought a shadow-monster, got attack-jumped by titans, sass-snarked the monster and kill-died."

Berix handed the box to Lewa. "My… It would be more interesting if I could understand your slang." He returned to his pack to zip it up. "By the way, have you talked to Toa Tahu, Glatorian Ackar, or Kiina lately? I wouldn't want them to hear of the stuff I've borrowed off them."

_Ughhh_. That was Berix for you. The Agori loved to nitpick others' actions, and he_ loved_ stealing their stuff later on. This wouldn't infuriate Lewa so much if he hadn't _constantly_ chided him for referring to it as such. For him, it was "borrowing;" nothing more, nothing less. Then again, the Toa supposed, he _was_ an Agori, so scavenging and foraging was probably in his nature. _The Great Beings really win-succeeded with our act-personalities, _he noted in relief_._

"It's not _slang_, you dolt. It's a _dialect_. Get it right." He smiled slyly. "No… I haven't meet-seen Ackar or Kiina recently; sure would like to speak-talk to Kiina, though. Actually, I _did_ meet Tahu-brother, if you were think-wondering; I'm pretty sure he knows about the 'Toa Nuva Toys' thing, unfortunately. You'll probably have to hide-avoid him for the next few days."

Berix punched his palm with a fist. "Drat! I _have_ to be more sneaky next time…" He briefly sulked before brightening up. "There's your meal, Toa Lewa. I believe the others will be here shortly. Take… care, I suppose." He walked out of the hut and closed the door behind him, leaving the Toa to eat and languish in bed for a few hours.

Consuming some Thornax stew, Lewa frowned. Why had Berix been so… tough with him? And for that matter, what was with Tahu's cheery attitude the other day? So many inconsistencies! He was sure it had at least _something _to do with his recent nightmare, for better or for worse. Given the severe warping of important characters, though, he knew something bad would be happening very soon.

* * *

Koryand'r descended closer to the alien ground, letting her feet lightly brush the sands that rolled over it. She appeared to be in a desert, bright blue skies giving way to long, unforgiving stretches of dunes. Nearby, she spotted the beginnings of a vast jungle, and over the horizon, she sighted a city and some mountains. Intending to obtain the aid of others in her quest, the princess decided to journey to the city and recruit some people.

The trek, as she had expected, was long; the days, however, seemed to accommodate for this and it was shortly before nightfall that the outskirts of the city came into view. Before she could take another step, though, she overheard some heated bickering…

* * *

The _Stormtrooper_ touched down on the surface of Spherus Magna, large jets spewing sand into the sky. It seemed to have landed on the fringes a jungle, gigantic saplings blocking parts of the sky from view. Besides said jungle appearing towards the south, there was nothing that could be seen anywhere else. Knowing quite well that this was not usually the case, Lieutenant H'ssiah chose to look deeper, going into the brush with some troops to find anybody who knew what had happened to the Rutan'gah.

The journey was tedious, but the contingent eventually found some possible suspects. Their homes were made in the tree lining around a large lake, being build on the ends of their branches. The suspects themselves were shown to be stocky, organic creatures with a few mechanical implants; Agori, some of the smarter soldiers knew. The Agori looked down on the group, scowled menacingly, and jumped out of their treehouses to confront them, spears at the ready.

H'ssiah obviously had no intention on fighting these little weaklings. Did they _really_ think they could take on a hero of the Gordanian-Yeerk Battle? _Hah!_ Quite likely. He needed only to pick up one Agori by the collar of his armor and the rest either moved in closer or retreated back. Sneering even more menacingly, the Lieutenant decided to interrogate him himself. "What do you know about the Rutan'gah?"

The Agori, quite obviously, could not respond, given the language difference. It _was_ able to make out, however, that the reptilian creature confronting it was not interested in offering goods or services at all. The Toa… he mentally frowned, not wanting the creature to know of his shame… Turaga, and Glatorian would have to know about this. Elbowing the reptile in the mouth, he immediately clobbered him with his spear, running off to get a hold of the others of his tribe.

H' screamed. "I _hate_ those things!" He turned to his other men. "Guards. Follow that Agori. _See what he requires. _I will head for a settlement, if one exists, and notify its hypothetical residents of the threat the Rutan'gah proposes. _Understood?_"

The other Gordanians nodded. "Sure thing, boss," one replied.

"I said," H'ssiah said, now incensed, "_UNDERSTOOD?_"

Every soldier stiffened, jolting into position. "Sir, yes sir!" They quickly marched off, taking after the Agori's trail. Frowning at his troop's apathy (or was it nervousness?) he stomped off to look for a metropolis.

* * *

"I can't believe I've been forced to traverse this accursed landscape with _you!_"

Akhmou, a wily Po-Matoran con artist, and Malum, an Tajun-hailing Glatorian assigned to be his guard, had been travelling to the White Quartz Mountains on orders of Turaga Dume. Dume seemed to be incriminating the Matoran for his misdeeds: during the Rahi Wars, he had infected a large portion of Po-Koro with an illness using Kohlii balls; when the Toa Nuva and a group of Matoran (now the Toa Mahri) had left Metru Nui to awaken the Great Spirit, he had exploited their departure to gain money, and in the heat of Makuta's reign, he served as one of the shadow's leftenants. Obviously the crone thought Akhmou deserved a little punishment to "drain" his inner darkness out of him. Like that would ever happen.

"You'll just have to deal with it," Malum replied. "I've been told that any missteps you commit can be punished with death. I do hope you're not looking to stoop to that level?"

The Po-Matoran scowled up at him, keeping his head firmly away from the Glatorian. It was going to be a long trip for sure. He was sure he would die not too far inland; even closer if the warrior acted as harsh as he made himself out to be. If only there was a sign, some way he could get out of-

Wait- _another traveler?_

Yes, Akhmou could confirm this, even with his slightly below average senses (brainpower took up a lot of space.) A humanoid being had been walking through the sands as well and approached them, an apathetic glare on its face. It seemed to be organic, although it was wearing quite a bit of armor- another form of Glatorian, perhaps? The con artist was just about to discuss this with Malum when the being yelled incoherently and put out a hand, quickly silencing them. (Correction. It was a _glowing _hand. What had Mata Nui _done _here?) Running up to Malum, it reached up and kissed him on the lips. Confused, the Glatorian pushed it away, only to find out he could suddenly understand its gruntings.

"Stop bickering," it growled. Its voice was feminine, with a warrioresque tone; Akhmou assumed she had come in from Tajun (although he couldn't imagine how.) "I wish to find a location to rest. Take me to one if there is any." Frightened beyond belief, the Matoran began whimpering. Malum groaned and facepalmed.

He took in the being's appearance and frowned. "I don't know of any settlements that would better your condition," he responded. The nearest that I know of is Tajun, and that is miles away. Perhaps my Matoran friend," he glowered at Akhmou, who was now hugging his left knee, "has an idea?"

Barely able to get out a coherent statement, Akhmou gave the best response that he could. "Th-th-there's no space in New Atero at the m-m-moment, but I have recently… um… _d-d-d-discovered_ a cave in the me-e-esa nearby. Why-why-why do you ask?"

The warrior frowned. "I do not _need_ to give you a reason, for it does not 'better' you. That does not happen with my people." Jumping into the air and beginning to fly, she turned around and added, "You will take me there _now."_

Akhmou, now fully petrified, ran beside her. "U-u-uh… s-s-sure t-thing, m-missy! W-w-whatever you s-s-ay!" Before he could take another step, Malum grabbed his shoulder and glared at him. "Are you crazy? Would you really let her know of your secrets at the flicker of an energy bolt?"

"Y-yes," Akhmou breathed.

The Glatorian scowled. "I think is why your Turaga assigned me to accompany you on your quest." He turned to the being. "Why should we just help you? How do we know you won't storm into New Atero and try and hurt someone?"

The being sighed and put a hand in her armour, obviously searching for something. Appearing to have found what she was looking for, she pulled it out forcefully and smiled grimly. "I am Koryand'r and I give you my word as Princess of the Royal House of Tamaran… oh..." She gasped. "I thought I had it with me… Nevermind. It does not matter. My appearance should be enough to tell you that I am of regal blood."

Akhmou stared at her. "Y-y-you seem m-much t-too p-pretty to b-be so." Malum groaned and put a fist in his mouth. "Akhmou is being a bit… lewd… but he is right. We can't really tell that you're on top of the world like that… and I can't say that I've ever heard of Tamaran before."

Koryand'r gaped. "_'Ever heard of Tamaran?'_ _How can you say this? I_…"She smirked. "I do not care; it is not as if I trust you either. I shall find this cave of which you speak of myself. Farewell, Akhmou and warrior." And with that she was off.

Matoran and Glatoran looked on in awe. The bigger being turned to his tinier counterpart. "You ever seen anything like that in that Matoran robot of yours?"

Akhmou frowned in concentration. "No. You Glatorian are the first organic humanoids I have met… Wait! Should we not go back to New Atero and prevent her from causing damage?"

The question seemed to have stopped Malum completely. "_No._" He picked the Po-Matoran up and slung him over his shoulders. "I am _not _to turn back towards the capital at any time. We'll just have to keep going and hope that the Toa and other Glatorian can take care of her."

The con artist sighed. "Some hope _that'll_ turn out to be."

"Can it, Akhmou. I'll freaking kill you if I have to." Shaking himself off, he began to walk again, feet sinking into the desert sands.

* * *

Lewa sighed to himself and perused through _The Glatorian's Guide to Bara Magna_, eyes widening at the spectacularly detailed descriptions of various animals_. _He would never normally read a book when cooped up, instead preferring to stretch or practice fighting (the last was usually confined to Lewa's huts only.) The impending meeting, however, was making him very nervous, and keeping himself fully occupied was usually a good way to sate the emotion… or so he thought. In truth, the other Nuva had not shown up yet, and the Toa was worried that they would come in and see him out of bed, sprawled on the floor and reading a Le-Metrunan comic. Their reunion had to be _perfect. _It wouldn't do to be improper; he gulped at that. Pleasing siblings was hard work.

He had just turned to page 143, on the Ignum Desert Rider, when a knock sounded at his was the Toa! Hardening his posture, he got out of bed and waddled over to the door. What was he going to do?

The knock sounded again, louder and faster. Lewa could not open it. He didn't want to be caught off guard; the others would think he wasn't excited to see them again.

He heard some muffled arguing outside before another knock nearly cleaved the door. "_Lewa!_" someone yelled. It was probably Tahu, since he had met him before, but given the tone of voice, it was very possible this was Kopaka at his door. Leaving someone like _him _waiting wasn't proper at all… He inhaled and reached out to the door, before steeling himself and grasping it with a hand.

"_Brother!_" the voice bellowed. "_Open this door right now or I will-_"

"Shut your _mouth,_ Kopaka," Lewa snapped. "I'm getting to it, I'm getting to it!" Glowering and billowing out steam, he turned the knob.

The Toa of Air frowned. Why would he assume it was Kopaka screaming at him? That was jumping to conclusions, something he had explicitly sworn not to do anymore… Was he infected by this personality-sickness as well?

Before he could think on his hypothesis further, the door slammed open, pinning Lewa behind it, and some robotic bodies streamed in. A deep voice, probably Pohatu, rumbled, "Brother! We are here!" Peeking out from his space behind the door, Lewa confirmed this, only to get swept up in a rib-crushing hug. Oh, that was Pohatu, all right.

"It is great to see you again!" the Toa of Stone cheered. "We had feared you were engrossed in the scenery of that jungle planet for a while back there… Good to know you got out of it without Onua's help, huh?"

Lewa groaned at the joke. He knew it was all in good fun, as always, but the Toa of Air had thought that he was able to solve his problems on his own. He took solace in the fact that the others probably did not think the same way… oh wait. He couldn't. Someone had offered their hand, large and gunmetal, in a Toa fistbump… Onua! He gladly returned the gesture and pulled him into a kiss.

"Nice to know you still care, brother," Onua quipped as he pulled out of Lewa's grip. "How have you been? Has the new environment treated you well?"

The Toa beamed. "Sure has, earth-brother! Got into a bit of a snarl-journey after I went search-looking for Artakha, but I think-managed to get out of it sure-better…" He grinned at his response. "How have _you _been, Onua?"

Onua opened his mouth to answer, but a blue-armoured hand quickly covered it. "Sorry, brother," a lighter voice intoned. That had to be Gali. "Hello, Lewa. I hope I wasn't disturbing your conversation."

Lewa smiled. "Not at all, sister," he replied. "Why were you lone-surveying the Endless Ocean? I thought you were present-big on unity. Did Tahu love-change any of that?"

Gali glared angrily, quickly suppressing Lewa's grin. _So he _has_ told him!_ Tahu and Gali had gotten into a relationship shortly after the Battle of Bara Magna, and the Water Toa had then thought that Lewa, at that point journeying through the former Bota Magna, would not know and would not need to know. Guess Tahu liked the fact that Lewa had become romantically involved too. Sigh.

"Not enough that you need to worry about it," she retorted. Changing the subject, she asked, "What was the deal back there at your door?"

A raspy voice answered her question for her. "He was too sleep-addled to perform the simplest of tasks." And _that _was obviously Kopaka. Lewa winced; he hadn't intended to hurt the Toa like that. He was right, of course, he _was_ sleep-addled, but he was too consumed by his anxiety to care… or so he thought. The Toa of Ice had nitpicked him again. Dang it.

"Hello-hi to you too, Kopaka-brother," Lewa smirked. "How was the Red Star? And for that matter, how goes the sport-teaching?"

"Fine. Fine again."

The Toa of Air sighed. Leave it to Kopaka to speak with as little detail as possible. Trying to get another response out of him, he decided to probe a little further. "What was it _like _up there in that light-star? Karz, it must've been so heart-pretty. I have ever-wanted to see-visit one."

"Trust me. It wasn't pretty." Sighing, Kopaka continued, "Not like you have the right to talk anyway."

"Wait… I don't have the talk-right? Why?"  
"You were in just as bad of a situation as me, maybe even worse. I think you'll need a bit more practice before you can even _think_ about visiting."

Pohatu frowned, concerned for his friends. "Kopaka…"

Lewa was very incensed, but decided not to reply. It wasn't worth it to lash out at him so aggressively; this _was_ a happy event, after all. "Whatever you say, ice-brother," he simply responded.

Tahu was the last to arrive. Perusing the floors of Lewa's hut, he smiled. "I see you took my advice, Lewa."

"Why wouldn't I? I've been trying to uphold Valise's _instructions_, after all." The Toa frowned. That wasn't like him, to sass Tahu like that… He paled. Something was _definitely _happening now, no doubt about it.

If the team leader had any reaction to this, he obviously didn't make it known. "I am sure you are." He clasped his wrists. "Now, then! Since we have all had the chance to meet and talk together again, I feel it is best that we talk about something very, very important…"

Gali groaned. "Tell me you're not, brother…"

"Yes. I have to, Gali…"

Pohatu sighed. "Really, Tahu? Now? When everyone is indulging in happiness and cheer?"

"Brother."

Kopaka glowered at Tahu. "You wouldn't _dare._"

"_Brother_."

Lewa fumed, beginning to get infuriated. "_What? _What's so large-important that everyone's becomin' mask-cracked over it?"  
The others looked at him, confused gazes on their masks. "_Brother!_"

Onua just stared.

Tahu frowned. Clearing his throat, he took a moment to sit down at a table, offering the other Toa a chance to as well. "It is best that I do so, brothers. Lewa… I know that this will displease you of all people, but as leader I feel it is imperative that I tell you now… the state of the team."

The indicated Toa looked at Tahu blankly. "W… what?"

"The future of the Toa Nuva, Lewa," Gali sighed.

* * *

Lieutenant H'ssiah stopped at the end of a sand dune. Spotting the beginnings of a large town, he smiled to himself. The planet had been a lot larger than his ancestors had said it would be, but the conditions were the same; empty, but full when necessary. He was surprised to note that things seemed a lot… fresher; it was like the place had been given new life, in a way. He still couldn't believe that one Mata Nui, if the tribe of Skrall he had encountered was correct, had reformed Spherus Magna after a furious battle with a Teridax. It didn't make any sense to him and he didn't want it to.

He was just about to end his scenic viewing session when a familiar noise permeated out of his eommunicator. _Beep… beep… beep… beep…_

Oh no. His lackeys had found something. Praying to Zorg it was something of importance, he pulled it out of his sash and pressed an indicated button. An image appeared, showing two soldiers holding a… Matoran and a Glatorian by force.

"Speak," ssiah intoned.

"Uhh… yeah, boss," a soldier talked back. "We, uh, just found these two dimwits journeyin' through the brush. Said they was headin' towards some White Quartz Mountains. Think they know anythin'?"

Akhmou scowled. "We were _not _'journeyin'!' We're on an important quest-" Malum apologized and quickly shut him up.

H''s face displayed a similar emotion to the Matoran's. "What do _you_ think, idiots? Why haven't you _asked_ them?"

"Uhh… I thought I told youse. They was… uh… questin'. Yeah. That work for youse, pipsqueak?" The Po-Matoran sighed and nodded.

The Lieutenant fumed. "_SILENCE!_ I do not _care_ about their exploits! We are looking for the _Rutan'gah_!" He directed his attention to Malum. "My apologies, Glatorian. The soldiers I command can get a little… ditzy sometimes."

Malum nodded. "I see what you mean. The new recruit I'm working with… _Hey! _What's the big idea, sending these two goons to come and tie us up?"

H'ssiah sighed. "We are looking for a… how do you call this in your tongue? Slave? Ah, yes." He cleared his throat. "Excuse me. We have… come to this planet to search for… one of our own… that has escaped our ship and is presumed to have reached these surfaces. Do you know anything about her?" He put the communicator closer to his face. "Anything at all?"

Malum frowned. "Can't say I do... I met a warrior earlier today, though. Said something about needing a place to stay. You reckon she's the one you're looking for?" He grinned. "Seemed too beautiful to be the same species as you."

ssiah groaned. "If you intend to insult her, it is not working. I think my crew do that job quite well." He frowned and scrunched his brow in concentration. "Wait… you said she needed a place to stay. Where, exactly, is it? I assume you've given it to her already."

Akhmou broke free of the Glatorian's iron grip and gasped for breath. "_The town!_ She's gone to a cave near the town-" Any further noise out of him was muffled to an extreme.

"The town of Ironside," Malum finished. "By Devil's Tower, if you're wondering."

H' tapped a claw to his snout. "Devil's Tower? Interesting." He pulled back from the communicator and gave covert orders to the soldiers. "Interesting, that is to say, if you weren't completely _wrong._" Their grip on their hostages tightened. Malum gasped. "Oh, don't play coy with _me,_ Glatorian. I'm on the outskirts of a city right now. I _know _she's gone there."

"But- how-"

The Lieutenant grinned. "I _obviously_ wouldn't leave my slave alone without some form of tracking," he said, holding up a jewel. "My conversation with you has only confirmed my suspicions. Giving more orders to his troops, he began walking towards New Atero. "Thank you kindly. Gordania shall pay you with good reward." He switched off his communicator and laughed evilly, seeing how he had played the fools so easily. Glatorian were not as smart as he had originally heard.

In the grip of the mafia soldier, Akhmou simmered. "Knew it. _Knew it! _Someone that pretty can't be that good at heart. It was the same thing with the Ga-Matoran and it was the same thing here."

Malum screamed internally. "Yeah. Okay. _Whatever. _Take solace in the fact that your 'inner darkness' indirectly caused an alien invasion." He frowned. "Didn't I ask you to shut up earlier?"

* * *

Here's Chapter Two! A few comments:

1. Lewa was injured in battle. I'm not sure why and it doesn't really matter.

2. I'm pretty sure I didn't get Berix right.

3. Hey, Kory's on Spherus Magna! That... won't be good, I can assure you. (She was looking for a royal heirloom, if it helps.)

4. Malum and Akhmou are traveling together because a) I feel they'd have great chemistry, and b) both of their characters needed a bit more expansion. Being "evil" isn't really enough. Also I don't think I got them down pat either (Akhmou has a thing for _Starfire?_ Who knew?)

5. Lewa seems like the type to read a lot (when others aren't looking, anyway) and be a bit self-conscious. I imagined him to be both very excited and a bit unnerved by the Nuva's sudden arrival, and thus a bit awkward. The other Nuva are a bit awkward as well, unadjusted to this new planet and everything that's happened... That whole scene didn't flow very well, didn't it?

6. currentlyunknown's stories (_Frustration _and _Adaptions_) are both canon in this crossover because they are really really _good_. You should go read them.

7. The Gordanians, or more specifically H'ssiah, are freakin' WILY. Poor Agori. Those guys were the ones who took in Lewa too.

Read and review!


	3. Nightfall

**Chapter Three: Nightfall**

Night fell on the town of New Atero. The skies were clear, and stars began shimmering into existence on their fabric. A cool desert wind skirted the dunes, and nocturnal creatures began waking up and climbing out of their shelters. Koryand'r smiled. It was good to see that the wildlife of this planet had been treated better than the Gordanians had treated hers. Feeling a low rumble in her stomach, she sighed and looked for a stray animal to satisfy her hunger.

A lone dunes mouse climbed out of its cozy burrow. Darkness had overtaken its home, so it was going to go find something to eat. Scampering off to a nearby cactus, she thought about the state of her health and internally sighed. Then she noticed the giant.

The escaped princess grinned. The rodent seemed to be scrawny and not particularly meaty, but she seemed unhealthy enough that consuming her would be for the better. She knelt down and captured the little thing in her armoured hands.

The dunes mouse squeaked in fear. The giant had violently picked her up by the tail and was looking at her expectantly, as if to say, "Nice to _eat _you!" It opened its mouth and released a rumble that the mouse couldn't put down as a consolation or a threat.

No. That would not be her fate. She was not going to lose her life to another one of those giants, as her friends had lost theirs. Gathering her strength into her legs, she bit the surface of her squishy glowing prison and prepared to push off of it.

Koryand'r noticed that the mouse was not particularly excited to be eaten. Frowning, she decided she would have to show it otherwise. Consuming her would be for both of their benefits, after all.

"There, there, little rodent," the princess soothed. "I am only doing this because I have to. There is nothing else that can be done." She frowned. Subject consolation was not something the girl had to do frequently. Most citizens of Tamaran were usually off to war or in the government; the others all but feared the royal family.

Still, even if she _didn't_ have good social skills, she had to eat; powering up a starbolt, she prepared to fry the mouse when she felt a small prick on her hand. The damn thing had bit her! She scowled, increasing the intensity of the starbolt, when the rodent jumped off entirely, scurrying away in fear.

The princess sighed. A tragic loss, if any; from the looks of things, it would not matter anyways, as the outskirts of a city had come into view. New Atero, as the warrior Akhmou and his compatriot had called it. That meant the cave he had mentioned would be here too… ah! There it was! Nestled into the ridge of a canyon, Koryand'r noticed the opening of a cave. She smiled slyly. It did not seem like it would be of much help, but for now, it would have to do. Her sister could wait.

* * *

"What? The later-future of the Toa Nuva? Why are you speak-mentioning this? Does the quote-phrase 'Now and forevermore' not come to mind?"

"Yes," Tahu sighed, "but that was a while ago. We were still protecting Mata Nui and the Matoran from Makuta's wrath, we had new powers and tools, and for all we knew, we were alone. Now we have mastered our abilities, his evil is vanquished, and the little ones have more competent hands in the Glatorian."

"But…"

"What of the other Toa teams?" Gali finished. "The Mahri? Takanuva? The Hagah? The new team the Order has been putting together? Are they not still working to help everyone here?"

"I know, however…" The Toa of Fire paused. It seemed he could not complete his sentences.

Kopaka scowled. "Hot-head here thinks they've still got a chance with Mata Nui, with the Great Beings. Says their destinies are still up in the air. Ours, for a lack of a better term, is…"

"Finished," Pohatu gaped. "Aren't _their _destinies finished too, though? The Mahri with the Ignika and the Hagah with whatever they ended up doing to Makuta?"

"Theirs cannot be as concrete." Tahu frowned. "Look. I have been speaking with Turaga Vakama, Ackar, and Angonce for a while over this. They all seem to agree that Toa, while incredibly useful for the safety of others, have no real place in post-Reformation society. We were originally intended to keep Mata Nui running and fix bugs in his system. Nothing more."

Onua frowned. "I do not know if that is really the consensus, brother. Would the Turaga really say this after all the work you did saving everyone from Makuta and Velika?"

The Toa just stared. His mouth flapped open, but no words came out. That seemed highly irregular, Lewa noted… Could it be? Really? Now?

Then he responded. His voice was low and throaty, but it was a response.

"N… no… they would not…" His voice sounded a bit anguished now. "Apparently, though, our opinions do not matter to them. We are just failsafes… I would have recommended sending us to different villages, but…" The leader put his mask in his hands and began sobbing. Yes, _sobbing._

Lewa stared. His mask began to contort into an expression of anger. Then he lost it.

"WHAT? _Really_, fire-spitter? _Two_ full years of your beautiful and amazing leadership and _now_ you're being forced to throw it away? Why would you DO that? Can't you _complain?_"

Tahu eyed Lewa from inside the grip of his hands, eyes rimmed with protodermic tears. "I _did!_ I do not understand why nobody _believes me!_" He sat up straight, seeming to compose himself. "The Turaga are our _leaders,_ Lewa. They have always told us where to go and what to do, and we have followed them well. They have been a great source of emotional and spiritual wisdom. They have hidden things from us, but we have _always_ treated it as being better in the end. And when we just needed a shoulder to lie on, they always seemed to be there. Now that we are on our own, without any direction…"

Lewa cocked an eyebrow at him. "Sorry for being offensive, but I can't _believe_ what I'm hearing! So the Turaga are suddenly our life-guardians now? Taking us by the hand and babying us along the way?"

Gali glared. "_Lewa!_" Her look softened. "I… do not know what to say. You are right, in a way, that the Turaga _have_ babied us a lot, but they have also been very effective guides. Why should we discredit them now, when they may need us more than ever?"

"Because they're following the 'will of the Great Beings,'" Kopaka sighed. "They obviously do not care for their creations on a whole. I do not see why the fools would just ally with the Turaga like that."

Pohatu scrunched his mask, deep in thought. "Maybe… they think we should be able to go off on our own now?" Without their aid and interference? They _did_ disable the Toa-Killer Robot, after all."

"That is true," Onua responded, "but I feel Lewa has a point as well." He gave a small smile in the Toa's direction. "The Turaga _are_ very effective leaders, yes, but you _do_ have to consider that they, too, are the Great Beings' creations. They had an intended path, an intended destiny. Now that said destiny has been achieved, they _should_ technically be without. Why would they consult with them when there is no need to do so?"

Tahu froze.

The others stared. "Tahu?" Gali tapped his shoulder, expecting him to do something romantic in return.

He began to thaw. "This…"

Pohatu frowned. "Brother?"

"Argument…"

Kopaka sighed. "Can you _say_ something?"

"Is…"

Lewa winced. "Oh, ever-sorry, Tahu, please don't jump-take me as being dark-mean, I was just try-bringing up a thought-point, please don't loud-yell, please, please, please…"

Tahu paused again.

Then he burst.

**_"POINTLESS!"_**

The Toa Nuva stopped entirely, not sure what to do.

* * *

Lieutenant H'ssiah leaned on the side of a small adobe hut, drinking out of a canteen. He looked back on a squadron of Gordanian soldiers and beamed. The armies had received his calls with no significant issues, and were on their way as soon as he had thought of it. The Rutan'gah was going to get it now.

He smiled evilly and turned to his men. "March. It is time for _acquisition, apprehension, and action_."

* * *

Bruce Wayne, better known as Batman, sighed. Protecting Gotham from crime was easy enough, but child rearing was proving itself to be a complete _pain._

"I _told _you already, I'm not going! There's no point in walking up to the Scarecrow and apprehending him like that. We need to get into his lab, find his fear gas, and look for a way to use it against him before-"

Wayne groaned. "Kid."

"I'm not a _kid, _Batman! I'm _Robin!_"

It had been completely fortuitous, finding Robin. The boy, Richard Grayson, was performing in a circus act with his parents, colloquially the Flying Graysons. In the middle of a jump, somebody had shot the adults, and left the boy crying over their corpses. Right then and there, Bruce, only just beginning to establish a career as the Caped Crusader, had known he had to do something for the child.

He had comforted the boy, taken him back to his home, and helped nurse him to good health (with Alfred's aid, of course.) He had adopted him, educated him, and sent him off to a new life. Then, he had said he was Batman.

He remembered the look on Richard's face when he first saw the Batcave; it was one of pure awe, the childish joy one gets when something is seen as thrilling, exciting, _new_. He had enjoyed hearing of "Mr. Wayne's" exploits and had immediately displayed a desire to help him. Bruce liked that in the boy; he was ready and wanting to help, willing to help others for their sake and not immediately for his.

It would have taken some time to prepare a new costume for the boy; luckily, he had retained one from his early days of crimefighting. It fit Richard perfectly. He had titled himself "Robin", after the birds that are taken in the wing of bats. Bruce had to admit it worked very well. The kid was smart.

They had gone on many adventures together, Batman and Robin, and later Batgirl, Commissioner Gordon's daughter; fighting the Joker, nullifying the Penguin, smashing Two-Face, beating Poison Ivy, and trying to avoid Catwoman. Crime-fighting, the two once admitted, was a great way to bond; and indeed, as many noted, it was (although some may have argued the Dynamic Duo were a bit _too_ close.) But all that changed when Robin made some friends.

He recalled it all too well; Richard had met a few other heroes after some adults had plotted to destroy teenage music. A foolish plan, at best, but apparently it had been serious enough to warrant the attention of teenage… well… heroes. And so he, Green Arrow's sidekick Speedy, Aquaman's sidekick Aqualad, and Flash's… colleague Kid Flash had worked together to take down the tyrannical elders and save the day. Robin had then decided that the teen-age populace would be better off if they had some relatable heroes; thus, the Supermen/Young Justice, consisting of the four and a new addition, Wonder Woman's sister Wonder Girl, had formed. Batman was immediately furious. Why would his assistant just run off to frolick with other teens like that? Why wasn't he interested in Gotham? Did he _want_ the city to rot?

Richard had complained. All too easily, he remembered. The incident had been the first time in a _while _that the boy had slapped him; the last he knew of was just after they had fought the Riddler for the first time, and Robin had berated him for not being up to snuff. Deservedly, he recalled, as he had been having issues with one Selena Kyle; why was this warranted, then? Had he been too overbearing? The thought had had _some_ value, but he knew that the boy would have chosen another way to tell him, and that he had only had _his_ interests at heart. He would never intend to _hurt_ Robin like that.

Thankfully, though, Richard's "phase" did not last very long. As he grew older, Young Justice grew more distant, and its members had soon split to pursue solo careers. Robin had at first complicated going solo or doing something with Batgirl, which had made Batman a bit anxious, but he had eventually decided to stick to the Duo. He just hadn't been ready. And now, Bruce thought with a sigh, he _was_.

"Look…" Batman replied, "Dick." He knew the boy was fond of the nickname. "I know you're upset, but you have to understand. Scarecrow keeps his laboratories very, very secure; we need to get him to talk before you can even think _about _staking them. I'll call Barbara so that she can check-"

"Batman," Robin growled.

The Dark Knight paused, confused. The Boy Wonder tried again. "Bruce."

"What is it?" Wayne panicked. Dick didn't usually speak up like this, and he _never_ used his real first name. Something was wrong.

"I've been thinkin' lately, about us," Oh no. "And I just figured I…" Grayson paused, obviously contemplating something.

"I…"

"I…"

"I'm not sure if I want to fight crime with you anymore."

Batman fainted.

* * *

The cave was dark, cold, and a bit murky, but Koryand'r lay in it for a little while, reviewing the events that had led up to her capture. They had not been the most transparent of proceedings, but the princess was acquainted enough with the underbelly of Tamaran to know things a bit more clearly.

Times had been tough; although the Empire had made many advances in the interplanetary field, citizen apathy was at an all time high. This could have been manageable, had it been occurring with any other species, but Tamaraneans _thrived_ on emotions; they needed to feel them to fly, to fling, to fight. "unbridled joy, boundless confidence, righteous fury," as a school saying went. Without them, people couldn't do _anything_. They were sitting ducks, as it were. And that, combined with some poor military decisions, made them perfect targets for the Gordanians.

She recalled this well. They had come in the dark of night (or as dark as night could get on Tamaran, anyway) and destroyed several important landmarks. Many had freaked out and fled, being subsequently punished in return. Her _k'norfka_, King Galfore, had declared a state of emergency, but it had done little to help. A sizable convoy had breached the palace walls, in search of anyone of notable leadership.

They had confined her and the other members of the royal family, among them Galfore and her sister Komand'r to a corner. The events were a bit foggy, but she distinctly remembered a bunch of swords and having a fear of dying. "Luckily" (she put this in quotation marks for a reason,) Komand'r had ingeniously made a bargain, offering one of the royals in exchange for the Gordanians leaving their planet alone. The most prominent member at the time had been Koryand'r…

She could not remember much beyond that; only anger, anguish, and pain. A soldier seemed to have had knocked her out so that she would not try to struggle.

The events immediately after this were a blur; she recalled awakening in a laboratory, chained to a clear glass tube and dressed very… skimpily (thankfully, said outfit was contained to the soldier who she had woken up with. They had later cut her hair and given her a suit of armour, more for her sake than theirs.) A scientist had barked some orders at her; unable to gain an understanding of his tongue, she had remained helpless.

The most protruding feeling during this period was a searing stabbing sensation. The princess did not know where it had come from, but it had _hurt_. Many times she remembered waking up bound to the tube, skin and eyebrows severely burnt. It had been awful, and at first, she had had no idea exactly who to blame. That had changed when she next awakened in a cage, confined to a small cubic room. Upon opening her eyes, one name had been on her mind: _Komand'r._ A hot green energy had formed on her hands, and she then recalled the ceiling of the room collapsing entirely. _Righteous fury_, she had thought.

That had been the motivation she had needed to get back at her despicable relative. Over the next few days, she had discovered and honed her new powers, put up with soldiers sent to pacify her, and formed a plan for revenge. Her training had been completed when one meagerly decorated officer, who she later learned to be one Private Le'eUrikk, had arrived. _The poor creature_, she pined. _It is a shame he was the one_ _who had __**had**__ to go._

Koryand'r sighed and turned herself over, backside sore from contact with the hard, almost crystalline rock. She had been able to get _out_ of Gordanian hands without any problem… but how was she going to get _back_? This planet seemed to be in a very unknown star system. For all she knew, Tamaran could be light-years, even light-_decades_ away… and even if she _had_ been able to reach it, there was no chance that the princess would be able to return entirely. Komand'r, she knew, would not allow it.

The Tamaranean growled and sat up. She would _have _to find another way to assert her power, someway or somehow. Maybe by interacting with the townsfolk the warrior had mentioned… Recalling his warning, she frowned. There _had_ to be a way!

The princess… no… the _warrior_ sighed. It would not do to fuss over it now. She needed to clear her thoughts and relax. Looking through the cave opening to the skies, her mouth dropped open in awe. They were so beautiful… Yes. She would fly for a bit, recharge her powers, and head into the town. It was all the girl could do for now.

* * *

Gali squeaked in surprise. "P… pointless?" She scowled. "Tahu, this argument has _not _been'pointless,' as you seem to have put it…"

The indicated Toa glared at her. "Well… what has been achieved? What gained? _Clearly_, we have come to _some_ sort of position, no?" He began shaking in anger. "Our unity has revealed a new duty, sealed a new destiny, has it not?"

Onua sighed. "Brother, it will not do to be overcome by your flames…"

"No? Well, what do _you _propose we do, Onua, oh wise lover of earth? _Dig _our way out of this problem? Surprise the Turaga by tunneling into their meetings; impale them in their backsides? _That_ a rational train of thought for you, brother?"

The Toa of Earth frowned. "No, it is not. However…"

"There's no _room_ for however! We have to act _now!_ Before-"

"Brother," Pohatu responded, "perhaps we should go to the Turaga as a team? Maybe that will convince them to see our point of view?"

Kopaka glowered. This was indeed quite pointless.

"That's the _thing_, Pohatu! I don't know if they'll _listen!_" Tahu paused, looking the other Toa in the eye. "Look… I do not want us to lose our unity. That much is clear. The issue is that we do not have much of a _direction _to this unity without the Turaga to aid us… how do you think we would work on our own?"

Kopaka fumed. Tahu stared right back at him, not expecting much of a response.

"We try it out for ourselves. Hate to say it, brother," the Toa of Ice replied, anger very evident, "but for what it's worth at the moment, the Turaga… The Turaga are _drivel._ Nothing but slag for the Great Beings."

Everyone gasped. "Kopaka!" Gali huffed. "How could you _say_ such a thing? The Turaga are our _friends_!"

"And for right now, our… enemies. Sorry, sister. I would've thought you were more perceptive."

"_Figured_ you would say that," she breathed in fury, _"ice-eater._"

Pohatu frowned. This should not have been happening. "_Gali!_ You are still so ill at ease? Do you not remember _my_ talk at the Kohlii Championship _at all? '_Put your petty differences aside! _Rejoice!'_"

"_That_ 'talk' did not result in much, as _I_ remember," the Toa of Water leered.

Her verbal opponent gasped. "_Sister! _Insulting my mentoring skills like that! _How could you?_"

The Spirit of Earth sighed and directed his attention to the bickering Toa. "_Brother. Sister. _It will not do to fight. Have you not considered _everyone's _opinion?" He turned to his leader. "What of Takanuva, Tahu? Does he have a say in this?"

Tahu thought for a moment, mask scrunching in concentration. "Err… I _believe _he is still with the Order… might be helping Brutaka with something…"

"Helping the Great Beings put us in the _trash,_ more like it," Gali fumed, now completely livid. "Isn't that right, _Kopaka? _The great Toa of Light, nothing more than some insane wackos' puppet?"

Kopaka, now equally livid, angrily growled. "Ah, _yes_. So he _is. How wrong of me to_-"

"Brother."

"Not _now, _Pohatu. _How wrong of me to _-"

The voice gasped. "I'm _Onua. Brother._"

"_I don't **care!** How wrong of me to-_"

A table flipped. All signed pointed to _Onua_ having thrown it. Whoops.

"I cannot _believe_," he said, "that you would just _forget _about me like that! I… I…" He stomped his foot in frustration. "_I wanna be a part of this team too!_"

Pohatu froze. "That… I'm going to be honest, Brother. That was more than a bit childish."  
"'_More than a bit?' _Try _'completely freaking spoiled!_" Tahu gaped. Gali must have been really, _really _peeved to be going off like this. "Onua, I know you've always had a habit of speaking only when you need to say," she soothed.

"Yes," Onua responded, "I have."

"Well…" She grinned slyly. "Come closer."

"What are you saying, sister? I can hear you quite well from over here." He scooted a bit closer to his lover.

"_No,_" Gali stated, voice sounding more than a bit like a Ga-Metrunan teacher. "Come _closer._"

The Toa looked at the object of his affections. All he received in return was a confused glare and a nudge in Gali's direction.

Onua sighed. "_All right_, Toa. I am _coming_."

She gnashed her teeth. "Come _quicker!_"

Reaching her seat, the toa huffed in exasperation and put his oral receptor to her mouth.

**"_Why didn't you_ _speak up earlier?_"**

Incredibly startled, Onua tensed. "Wh… what did you say?"  
"I _said_," she yelled, overexaggerating her words, **_"WHY DIDN'T YOU SPEAK UP EARLIER?"_**

Onua frowned and tried again. "What-"

Tahu groaned and put his mask in his hands. "That is _enough_, you two."

Said Toa glared at him. Onua cocked his head, seemingly unable to hear. Gali smirked.

Kopaka screamed internally. This was no time to be arguing like children. "He _said_ that was enough, Gali. Act your age."

"Huh," she beamed, "and I guess you're _not_ actin' your age, then? You seem _way _too mature to be 100,002 years old," the Toa giggled, pointing at the person in question.

"Stay offa him!" Pohatu defended, throwing his hands over his friend.

"Sister," Kopaka sighed, "you _do _realize most of that that time was spent in a Toa canister, don't you? Now that I think about it…" he raised an eyebrow, "mentally, I suppose… we really _are_ children. But that does not mean we have to _behave _like them."

Gali pushed the Toa of Stone off of his chair. He rubbed his head and moaned. "That so, huh? Why?"

"Because…" He paused. "Wait. Why am I even _responding_? This argument is _pointless_, as the fire-spitter has... said."

Tahu paused as well. "Huh. I guess I have. Nice to know things can change, my icy brother."

"Guess they can't change for _you _then, huh, Kopaka?" Gali cocked her head quizzically. "What's the matter? _Muaka_ got your tongue?"

"_Grow up,_" he snapped. "Also, there are no Muaka in this region of the continent. They have all migrated towards Tajun."

"I _doubt_ anyone cares," she replied.

The leader stared. "She _is_ right, Kopaka. That's not important." He put a finger over his teeth. "I've been mulling over a decision while you lot have been… fighting. I think I have decided… that Pohatu is right," he conceded. "We should go and see the Turaga on this issue, before deciding what we are to do later. All in favor."

Three hands went up. Tahu seemed to ignore them, as he was staring at his partner. "And on that note…" He began shaking again. Everyone (well everyone coherent, anyway) tensed.

"What is _wrong_ with you, Gali?"

* * *

Here's Chapter Three. More comments:

1. Hey, more backstory! (Am I getting it right?) Kory won't get revenge on Blackfire for a while, don't worry.

2. The argument between the Nuva was really hard to write.

3. _Young Justice_ (season 1 of the TV show, in this case) is canon to an extent. I imagine Robin came back to Batman after the team disbanded, found he wasn't meshing with him at all, and began making plans to leave.

Read and review!


	4. Robin Leaves the Nest

**Chapter Four: Robin Leaves the Nest**

"Hey, uh… Mr. Wayne? You alright?"

Bruce moaned. His face felt wet. What had happened? Had he fainted? (Upon a quick inspection of his Batsuit, yes, he had. Its temperature was unusually cold. Dick had splashed water on his face to wake him up.)

"Yes, Dick… I'm fine." He paused, remembering the boy's previous bombshell. "About the fight…"

Dick's usually chipper face fell a little. "Oh, yeah… You sure you don't want some sugar cookies first? Alfred always makes them for me and I figured you might like them…"

Batman sighed. "No, that's fine." His glare hardened. "Tell me now. I need to know everything concerning Robin. I realize not reminding you might have… saved everything, but I just can't leave this alone. Not for the moment."

He swore Grayson smiled a bit. "Nah, I would have said something anyways. Can't leave you hangin', after all." The boy grinned at his quip. "Look… We've been working together for a long time now. Four years, I think?"

Wayne nodded. "Just about."

"So… I figured… Maybe it was time for me to start fresh. Like, right now, at least." He looked longingly at his friend. "Please, Mr. Wayne? I know I'll be okay. I've been trained well."

Batman smiled at that. Just a bit. His experience had rubbed off quite thoroughly. "I'm sure, Robin. It's just…" His face fell, his posture sagging. "I don't want you to leave. I feel we work so much _better _as a team, and for us to just separate like that would be-"

Robin cocked his head in confusion. "I thought you had Batgirl."

"Yes… we do. The problem is that she's always so preoccupied, working for the Commissioner and the library and her personal life… I'd never be able to just tear her away like that. It'd be too complicated."

The Boy Wonder frowned. Then he fumed _hard_. So hard, in fact, that he actually slapped Batman. _Again. _The man, now down on his knees, frowned. Had it all come down to this? Was his protectiveness really too much for Dick to bear?

He could not dwell on this much longer, as Robin was quickly up in his face. "I can't _believe_ you!" he yelled. "Would you really discredit Babs like that just because you need sidekicks so bad? That's stupid, ignorant and honestly quite _sexist_!"

The Knight froze. "I… I never _intended _to put it that way, Dick. You have to understand; some superheroes just don't _work_ without sidekicks. Green Arrow, Aquaman, the X-Men, Captain America…" Quickly predicting the boy's response, he continued: "Superman and Wonder Woman are exceptions. They are self-sufficient and confident enough in themselves to be able to 'spread their values' on their own. I can't do that without a partner," he admitted.

Contrary to what Wayne had been expecting, Robin's reply was sarcastic enough to make his previous quip look like a bad Star Trek joke. "Young Justice was. Confident and self-sufficient, I mean. We weren't sidekicks at all." Bitterness leaked through his eyes.

"But," Batman said in turn, "most of that was controlled by us. You were a covert ops group for the League for most of that last year, remember?" Still reeling from the both the physical and mental effects of the slap, he rubbed his cheek. "Look… what I'm _trying_ to say is that heroes need _help._ Support, counseling, a helping hand… whatever it is, they will inevitably have a craving for it. You won't be able to function without it," he noted. "Clark and Diana may be strong enough to work on their own, but they've got connections too. They're just too subtle to see."

Dick scowled. Enough was enough. "Maybe my point's too subtle for _you _to see, Bruce? That mask of yours must be pretty damn _tight_. It almost reminds me of Wonder Woman's costume. Keeps a vital organ in place taught enough for its functions to be disabled."

Bruce gasped. "_Dick! _That was too far, _'son'_." He began to get up from his current position. "I think… I think you should go to your room and consider what you just said."

The boy snapped. Something inside him had broken, as it were. "It was _supposed_ to get through to that tiny walnut you call a _brain!_ Seriously, Mr. Wayne? A superhero can't work without a 'partner?' Six years in the crimefighting business, and that's the best excuse you can give to someone who just wants to _split up_ with you?"

Batman paused, chills running down his spine. He shifted his gaze, eyes moving away from Robin. "I hadn't realized…" The man sighed. A drop of water rolled down his mask, but he ignored it. "Oh god, Richard. I… I actually hadn't realized that's what you'd been asking… I thought you'd only wanted to leave, to pursue your own dreams or the like… Why wouldn't you tell me upfront?"

"Because I thought you would figure it out, Mr. 'World's Greatest Detective.' _Aaargh! _I _hate_ you!" He stepped back a bit, steam billowing out of his ears. "When you put my resolve like that… Maybe I _will._"

"Dick… what…"

"I'll take up your advice, _Mr. Wayne_. Pursue my dreams, find an adventure, go solo like I've actually _wanted _to do _all this time_. Thanks for reminding me, buddy." He seemed to be taking something out of his costume... _Clunk! Oh… __**Oh.**_

He had thrown his bat-communicator on the floor.

Heart pounding, Bruce inspected the damage.

It had impacted hard enough to crack, giant lines running down the centre of the logo. Some of the LEDs had been smashed. The touch screen, previously snappy enough to serve as an effective tool of communication, was broken. The indication of Dick Grayson's current feelings was clear. He didn't want to be Batman's sidekick anymore.

"Take your lousy communicator back," he breathed. "_I don't want it anymore. _In fact, I don't want _anything_ from you anymore." He turned away from Batman and began walking towards his motorcycle, which he had dubbed the R-Cycle. Bruce had gotten it for his 14th birthday. The bike had seemed like a well-intentioned gift then. It didn't seem like such now.

"Wait… don't go… I can… call… Barbara…" Another droplet hit the floor.

"_Please…_"

The R-Cycle began revving up. The doors of the Batcave opened. "Sorry, Bruce Wayne, but…" Bruce tensed.

"No. No thanks." He turned back to the man one last time.

"Tell Alfred it's not his fault."

And then he was off. The tears began falling freely now. Bruce Wayne couldn't hold them off any longer.

A lone figure stood before a large monitor. Underneath his unusually coloured mask, he smiled. The boy had left his partner, just as he had predicted. All was going according to plan.

* * *

Tahu's full attention was currently directed to the emotional wreck that had once been Gali Nuva. In his mind, she had gone too far. The Toa never got this unnerved; usually, such incidences were reserved for moments of great disarray and discord. The Nuva seemed to have been arguing pretty solidly on this one. What was the issue?

"Wrong with me?" She glared back at him. "What's _wrong_ with me?" A finger was directed at his mask. "What's wrong with _you_, Spirit of Hot Air?"

"I…" He frowned. Nothing was wrong with him. He had just repeated a point he had heard from the Turaga. Something was _definitely _up with Gali. It had to be investigated.

"Nothing you need to worry about, at least." The Toa turned to the others. "I ask again, brothers. All in favour?"

Kopaka looked at him questioningly. "Of what? Of leaving the throes of destiny to do what we feel is right, or disobeying the Turaga and going completely, to put it frankly, _cross-wired_?"

Tahu stared. He honestly had no answer to that. He didn't even know why the Toa needed to act like this. Even if they _did _have to discuss the problem at hand, the setting of the dispute had been a reunion at a long-lost brother's hut. Reunions were _supposed_ to be fun, happy, and jovial, like the hut's owner. Even he knew that.

Apparently Pohatu echoed his feelings. "I feel it would be the first option, brother. It is truly a shame the same points must be repeated again, but I say this: The Turaga may have been a very effective guide thus far, but they may not remain so forever. Do you not believe so, Onua?"

The Toa of Earth frowned. "You took the words right out of my mouth… Wait. What exactly _did_ you take, patron of Kohlii? I swore I heard something about repetition, cross-wiring, and party favours…" He beamed. "Is that it? Are we to sway the Turaga's opinion in a party? I am not one for such, but that _does _sound like fun."

Gali scowled. "_No_, you dolt! _We're trying __**not**__ to get their opinion, because we know it won't work!_" She groaned dramatically. "_Uugghh. _Damn Earth Toa and their oversensitive hearing…"

Onua grimaced. "I heard that… I will ignore it, though, for it _is _your opinion." He checked with the airhead. "So our plan _is_ to be presented as a party, if I am correct?"

"Uh, Onua? _Earth-brother?_ I don't think…"

The Toa jumped up and grinned. "Then I shall take the burden for you!"

Whirr. Clank. _Hiss._ _SMASH._

"Oh, _no_. What have I _done?"_

* * *

"Hey! Stop pushing!"

"Oh, I'm _sorry_, Glatorian. I wasn't aware my rustling was causing a spirits-accursed _alien invasion._"

Malum frowned. "Ugh. I was _wrong_, okay? Jeez. Not my fault your personality's so toxic that it messes with my brain."

"I don't even know how that can occur."

"Just… shut up, Akhmou."

They had been "travelling" through the dunes for at least an hour now. The titan was sure they had at least passed Tajun, at the very least; as by the looks of things the soldiers had been told to get as close to Atero as possible.

Wait… He squinted. They _were _at Atero. Passing it, even. Heading towards the ridge that the Po-Matoran had pointed out earlier. What could they possibly want there? Malum was sure the Gordanians hadn't taken Akhmou's advice, so that must have meant…

Oh. The girl had gone off and found it on her own. Skrall it.

* * *

The stars were bright, and the night felt clear. Under the dark fabric of the sky, Koryand'r flew. The warrior loved how the air felt murky but fresh at the same time, dusty yet sweet. It felt very different in comparison to Tamaran's perpetual overt sweetness and the Gordanian ship's cold manufacturedness.

Yes, flying here was very, very great; sensing an abundance of joy, she felt her control improving. She would have to do this more often…

Spotting two shapes by the cave opening, she frowned and squinted. It was hard to make out what exactly they were, but Koryand'r swore she could see a blue one and a green one, both sporting helmets. Could they be inhabitants of the city, perhaps? The exile smiled. Things were going pretty well for her. Getting to her sister would be a piece of cake.

* * *

A dull whirr sounded through the confines of Lewa's hut. Smidgens of earth and debris lay scattered in piles on the floor. Several pieces of furniture, including the table that the Toa Nuva had been "debating" on, had been turned over or even smashed. Despite the carnage, a dull blue light filled the room, and Glatorian folk music was softly playing through an old "borrowed" music player.

The party had begun.

To the sounds of increasingly manic encouragement by Gali, and harried breathing by everyone else, Onua had set up what he believed to be the team's form of appeasement to the Turaga: a good old fashioned Onu-Koronan mining party. It had seemed like a good idea at the time: he and Lewa had done it all the time back on the island (or in an Onu-Metrunan nightclub, really:) why wouldn't it be fine here?

The answer was pretty obvious. At the moment, Onua was currently tunneling his way through to a supposed underwater cave, where Gali had claimed he would find a legendary golden treasure. It would have been pretty stupid, in Kopaka's opinion, if she also hadn't wanted to use said treasure as an apology gift. For _what_ they were apologizing for, the Toa had no clue.

The whirrs became louder, and the floor seemed to vibrate faster. Tahu sighed and propped his mask on his fists. If this was anything like last time, the Spirit of Earth would pop up, spew some more debris, pull out something he thought was the treasure and get pummeled by Gali for being "blind as an Archives bat-"

"Found it!"

_PBLKSHHH. _A black shape shot up out of a deep hole. Clouds of dust greeted the Toa. To frenzied applause, Onua bowed dramatically, reached into his sack, and pulled out a metallic pancake, rimmed with specks of gold.

"_What?_" screeched Gali, thundering up to Onua. "That's not the treasure _at all!_"

"Sorry," Onua apologized. "It was the best I could find." He began wiping the excess dust off of the pancake. "Perhaps your confidant has rumoured you wrong; a game of Crack-Speak, if you will?"

The female frowned. "I don't _play_ Crack-Speak. It's a silly Le-Matoran game, just like all the other silly little habits they have."

"_Hey! _Crack-Speak is _not _'silly!'" A green-armoured hand rose out of a pile of rubble. "It's a much-entertaining fun-game when you have the right-people to quick-play."

"Who cares?"

Another hand emerged, then a pair of forearms. "_I _care!" They began to push before a mask appeared, mouth coughing out earth powder. "The game was created by _my_ people, sister. Therefore, it is _my_ duty to encourage its use, even if I may not like it."

The Kaukau betrayed the extent of Gali's eyeroll. "Sounds like a load of duty, if you ask me," she giggled.

The Toa of Air's body was unearthed now. He looked at Gali wearily. "That's childish!"

The Toa sashayed up to her brother and bopped him on his mask. "Funny you should say that, after we've spent the last two years calling you out for exactly the same thing."

"But…"

Kopaka smirked at this. Just a bit. "She's got a point, brother."

"You can't-say…"

Pohatu laughed softly. "Sorry, friend, but I think he is right…"

"I don't-!"

Lewa groaned. He pulled his feet out of the pile and knelt down to face his leader, desperation evident in his eyes. "Can't you _do_ anything about her, Tahu?" he whispered. "You've been her heart-mate for two past-months. Don't you know what happens when she gets all mask-cracked like this?"

The Spirit of Fire looked at him with a blank expression. "Truth be told, Lewa, I haven't got a clue. She was fine when we were fighting Makuta, and for a good chunk of the aftermath…" He pondered over this for a bit before another, louder song made it harder to do so. "I have a theory." Dismissing his brother's curious look, he continued, "Yes, what a shocking development, I know. The Toa who always likes to burn stuff is actually using his head."

"But what sort of idea could you have-"

"Let me finish, Lewa…"

Onua was looking over the pancake he had acquired, fingers brushing over the clear plastic surface. "What do you suppose this is, brothers and sister? A Kanoka? A tracking device made by the Agori? A pocket sundial?" He chuckled. "Think of how revolutionary that would be."

Kopaka sighed, head tilting up slightly to meet the other Toa's. "Perhaps it's a Makuta weapon. You know, for collecting masks."

His friend frowned. "What? Is it a weapon that the Matoran Kotu uses to prospect flask? That is a _very _peculiar way of doing so."

Pohatu joined in. "Uh, Onua? I _think _he said it was a Makuta weapon. For masks." He elbowed his brother, smirking. "Could be wrong, though."

Gali scoffed. "It's _trash_, obviously. Probably doesn't have any use." Looking towards an unfortunately shallow hole, she said, "Junk it."

Onua cocked his head and nodded in affirmation. "I do not believe Lewa has a bunk. But I will try."

"So you've _also_ got the same-belief, then? That our Toa-brothers and sister have been long-gone enough that they simply will not mesh-work?"

Tahu nodded. "I think so. Though," he laughed softly, "I do not believe it was a so-called 'magical' force at work. The Great Beings wouldn't endeavor for such a thing."

His friend laughed too. "Then do you know-suppose we should speak-tell- _Oooww! _That freaking _hurts_, Onua! Be careful not to kill-bury your heart-love!" He rubbed his head, moaning in pain.

The Toa of Fire raised his mask brow. "Lewa, what hit you-" He looked to the floor and gasped.

Onua had thrown his strange device to the floor.

Murmuring in disbelief, Tahu inspected the damage.

It had impacted hard enough to crack, giant lines running down the plastic covering. One of its arrows had been smashed. Some gears, presumably once sharp enough to serve as an effective method of mechanics, were broken. The indication of Onua Nuva's current feelings was clear. He obviously had some issue with Lewa, however petty it might have been.

Tahu looked at his brother. Then he fumed.

Lewa did not, not right away at least. Onua _was _his significant other, after all; wouldn't any maritial issues concern both of them?

His eyes widened when he realized he probably wasn't acting on spite, anger, or disgust at his lover's laziness. _Someone_ had put him up to it.

_Gali._

**_"ENOUGH!"_**

* * *

Clop. Clop. Clop. Clop. Clop.

Many pairs of boots marched through the streets of New Atero. Their goal? Find a missing person. The probability of capturing her without hassle? Close to zero. The most prominent pair had no patience for attempting to avoid said hassle, so he was just going to bomb the heck out of the place. Both for the fun of it and because he wanted to leave for the Citadel _now_.

The pattering stopped close to the town's square. The pair ordered his troops to line up in squadrons, intending to have them head to different areas of it… he just needed to give ample warning first, was all. Probably less, considering how the group of natives he had encountered reacted.

"_People of New Atero!_" he yelled. "_We are in search of an important member of our crew… If anyone has seen a girl with orange skin, red hair, and green eyes, please report it to one of us… if not…_" He grinned. "Then you will pay with your life."

* * *

Dick… _Robin_ motored along an exceptionally busy highway. He had just left Star City after an evening of beating up bad guys with Speedy… it had been _fun_, of course, but he had meant every bit of what he had said to Batman. If he wanted to go solo, he _would _go solo.

The Boy Wonder was following the tip of a strange man he had met at a recent rest station. The man, a biker, had recognized him, asked him what he was doing out on his own, and went inside the station, seemingly content. Robin had had to wait a long time before anything happened… and when something finally did, he had only received a scrap of paper. Scribbled on it was the word "Jump" and a crudely drawn road map, presumably leading to it (the boy had had to assume it was a city indicated. If it had led to something else, like a short cliff, he would have probably strangled the biker.)

Why Jump City, he had asked the biker? "It's a hotbed for crime," the man had responded. "People come there to harvest on people's dreams." He laughed heartily. "Or so they say, anyway." Getting on a suddenly appearing bike and tipping his bandana to the boy, he continued, "Don't trust me on this. I've only heard of it. Probably good to try, though!" And then he had motored off. Robin, at this point on his road trip desperate for locations, had had no choice but to listen. He just wished he'd had a chance to thank the biker, though…

He frowned. No use fretting over it now. Jump was a good 120 miles away. Focusing on the road was key. Excited to be free of the clutches of the Bat, he gripped the R-Cycle's handlebars even harder.

The boy did have _one_ question, though. Why had somebody recognized him so easily? He wasn't wearing his full costume, just his mask…

* * *

No answer.

Lieutenant H'ssiah tried once more. "_I said… Please report it to us… if you value your life._" He grinned again, to keep up the shock value.

Nobody seemed to be home. What was _up_ with that? Didn't these Agori and Glatorian have a concept of _family values_? The Gordanean scoffed at that. _Family values._ _Hah._

ssiah motioned to his squadrons to move into different sectors of the town. Before he joined one of them, he tried getting the peoples' attention one last time. "**_People of Spherus Magna! _**_We desire the… oh blitznak… **We desire our Rutan'gah, all right? **__She is the crowning jewel of our stately ship._" A surprisingly legitimate tear fell down his face. _"**Please. **__If you have any information on her, respond **now.**_"

* * *

That was it. He wouldn't tolerate this anymore. The other Toa had caused far too much damage between themselves and his hut to be tolerated any longer. The "reunion" was over. The party was just… done.

He turned to his sister, eyes glowing in anger. Expectant of an outbreak, she put her hands up in an expression of peace. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, brother. Don't take this too personally. I'm just trying to preserve our unity in the best way I can think of-"

"'_Preserve our unity?'_ I can't _believe_ you, Gali! Is immaturely insulting our brothers, manipulating them, and destroying my rest-hut supposed to keep us together?" He sighed and looked away. "I know, I _know_, that _is _rather rude-demeaning, but I can't let this long-stand." Lewa pointed to the door. "Everyone. Either clean your show-act or _get out_." He scowled at Onua. "That goes for _everyone."_

His leader looked at him warily. "_Lewa_! I know you are trying to make a point, but telling them to just leave like that seems a bit out of hand…"

"Out of hand, after the countless other times you have 'told' me so?"

"Tahu's mask fell. "Oh, _brother._ I don't know…" He cleared his throat, obviously having prepared a speech. "Do you really think we have been patronizing you, Lewa? You _are_ the youngest Toa mentally, after all. Our attempts to keep you on the right path might be seen as degrading to you. What do _you_ think?"

The indicated Toa frowned. "Well… I _suppose_ you _were_ trying to keep me safe. That was _very _nice of you, by the way. Thanks." He inhaled and continued. "It's just… I don't know. I've been saying this for so long and I don't know if anyone will listen…"

Surprisingly enough, Kopaka was up for it. "_I_ am listening. Tell me now, brother." His eyepiece whirred. Lewa looked hesitant, but decided to keep going.

"_I want to be treated like a Toa,_" he admitted. "Tahu's right. I _am _pretty much the youngest here. I understand this might make me seem a bit childish at times…"

"_Pretty much all the time_," Gali whispered.

"Door's that-way. I understand this makes me seem childish… but I know I can get better. I have. I think you all know this."

Tahu evil-eyed his sister then turned to Lewa. "But have we not all got better? It _does _seem to be a part of destiny, after all."

"Yeah, it does. I just mean… being independent. Being able to do something without being snapped at by swarms of rabid Makuta fish. Being able to fix my mistakes without being doted on." He sighed. "_Being able to get out of bed after explicitly knowing that you feel better._"

* * *

A large chiseled figure sat in a small chair, pondering the world. He was Ackar, leader of the Agori-Matoran Confederation, and he had just been told that his planet was under attack. The Great Council had forced him to stay in their shelters, even though he knew he could take the threat on his own. It was rather… patronizing, to say the least.

At least he had Vakama in this with him. The Turaga of Fire had quickly connected with him shortly after the Battle of Spherus Magna, being that they had both been elected to the Council, and the two had become great friends. They had been inseparable ever since, to the point that the Glatorian constantly had to dispel rumours of them being in a relationship. Oh well. That was his people's culture, after all.

Ah, and here he was now! The diminutive Bionicle strolled down a nearby hall, robe making brushy noises as it dragged along the floor. He stopped when he saw Ackar and turned, quickly moving to meet him.

"Hello, Vakama!" Ackar greeted, putting a fist up in a sign of welcome.

The Turaga eagerly returned the gesture. "As to you, brother." He very quickly sobered up. "I do not wish to interrupt your time of brooding, but the others in the Council have informed me that the Agori must be evacuated _now_. Is it wrong to believe that you will do nothing?"

The titan chuckled. "No, friend, it is not." He, too, sobered up. "I know the Council is only trying to do the right thing for my people, but I have _repeatedly _told them that the Agori can handle dangers _on their own_. Yes, at times they require the Glatorian's services for bigger risks, but in most cases it will not matter, especially if this is what it appears to be." Looking at his friend pleadingly, he continued, "Trust me, Vakama. _They will be fine."_

Vakama smiled. "Yes, I am sure they will. However, this _is _the Great Council we are talking about. Do you wish to provoke their ire and break what feeble platforms we have acquired?"

"Vakama."

"Yes, Ackar?"

"Tell them I'm not doing it. To Skrall with relationships at a time like this. We have _work _to do."

Another smile. "A very good decision, in truth." He turned, gave another fist bump, and began walking to the doorway. "I thought you would like to know that the fires have predicted something very interesting…"

Ackar shot up. "Really? What?"

The Turaga looked at his friend and grinned. "They say that is for them to know and you to find out."

The Glatorian sighed. Damn those Turaga and their stupid riddles.

* * *

Still no answer.

"Screw it," the Lieutenant said. "They are obviously not interested." He turned to his troops. "Storm this pathetic wasteland and _find the girl._"

* * *

Double-header chapter today!

Comments:

1. The Marvel heroes exist in this universe (the DC ones haven't made much of an effort to talk to them, though.)

2. The arguments were again pretty hard to write (although the Toa's came off a bit easier this time.)

3. The Turaga, Glatorian, some Agori, and various other species formed a government in the interim to keep things from getting out of hand... or, soon enough, they _will_ have.

4. Three guesses as to whom the biker is.

Read and review!


	5. Sibling Rivalry

**Chapter Five: Sibling Rivalry**

The other Toa just stared. Lewa tensed, heartlight beating rapidly. Had he done the right thing by admitting that?

He examined his siblings one by one. Tahu looked blank, eyes wide in surprise. Gali was toeing the line between annoyed, indifferent, and sympathetic. Onua smiled at him and gave thumbs up. Pohatu seemed apologetic, head turned down in shame. Then he looked at Kopaka.

The Toa frowned. _Oh no. __**Kopaka**_.

Everything was all going to be for naught, just because the ice-spitter didn't believe his brother to be a capable fighter. A snarky comment. A dismissive gesture. Coldness. However he expressed it, Kopaka was going to be annoyed. _Somehow_.

Unfortunately, Kopaka chose to smile. A slight beam, since the Toa had proclaimed his intentions not to let himself go fully. It didn't matter, though, since he immediately opened his mouth to speak and ruined everything.

"I… can definitely understand, brother."  
Everyone looked at him in confusion.

"Yes, I _can_. He has been constantly belittled and mocked because of his immaturity. It is not fair to him. He wants to change. I know for a fact… because he told me."

**_"WHAT?"_**

The Toa shrugged. "How is it so hard to believe?" He thought back to the said moment, in a Karda Nuian stalactite resting from the battle below.

_The Phantoka had been recovering after the Makuta had given them and the Av-Matoran a sound trashing when they tried to rescue their shadow brethren. It had been fairly late into the affair, and the Toa were tired (and as a result, much more open about their feelings. Much more than usual, anyway.)_

_Lewa raised his head up a bit and turned it to his brother. "Y'know, you didn't seem to be giving me and Pohatu much backup sky-below. What was up with that?"_

_No answer._

_"Seriously, ice-brother. I need to learn-know. It's important."_

_Kopaka raised an eyebrow. "Important? How?"_

_The Toa squeaked and raised a hand. "Nothing you need to current-know!"_

_"Lewa."_

_Lewa sighed. "All right." Obviously a bit uncomfortable with the ragged stone floor, he rolled over. "I-I've been trying to better myself. You know, since you guys always rag on me and all."_

_"Rag?"_

_His brother smiled. "Just a bit, yeah. I have a theory as to why, but I doubt you'd listen…"_

_"I would!" Pohatu called._

_"Yes, I'm sure you would," Kopaka mumbled. "Lewa… I do not know why exactly the others would do such, but I am pretty sure it confirms your theory." He sighed. "We think you're a bit inadequate. Childish and immature, unable to fight alongside us, not fit for such a destiny."_

_Much to Kopaka's surprise, Lewa beamed. "Knew it!" he hissed, pumping his fist. He noticed Kopaka's expression and wrinkled his mouth. "Yeah, I know, you'd thought-expected me to pause disbelievingly and cry in anguish. And I did." His brother raised an eyebrow again. "It was a pain, the first six months or so. The quest for the Great Masks and the Bohrok invasion were the worst applications of our duty, by far." Lewa grinned. "Heh. 'Duty.'"_

_"Lewa, that is-"_

_"Childish. Yes. Anything of substance you'd like to add?"_

_Kopaka frowned. "Go on."_

_"Thank you." He cleared his throat. "I thought you of all people'd know why it sucked so badly. The way I see it, everyone thought I was being too wild and crazy and hurting everyone's chances of beating Makuta. That is… kind of true, but we did get the masks, right? And 'defeat' the shadow? My thoughts and actions may have been a bit different, but they still got us through in the end."_

_"They were a bit foolish, you have to admit… but that is otherwise true."_

_"Hey, buddy, I wasn't too good with vine-swinging back then. Anyone could have made that mistake." Noticing Kopaka's apathetic look, he continued, "The pond? I just hated water. The refusal to work with anyone? I thought I could go alone. That was shown to be not true, but…"_

_"I do not see how this is relevant to your issue, but continue."_

_"I had an problem. It was ignored, for a good cause, but I don't see why Tahu didn't even acknowledge it." He hung his head. "It was the worst with the infected mask… Everyone thought I was stupid enough to get everyone killed. Even you." His demeanor quickly changed, though. "But hey, at least I'm talkin' to you right now, right?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Come on, ice-brother, you're killing me with your responses." He mimed a dramatic death, shaking and holding a hand to his heart. Kopaka had to smile a bit at that. Only a pixel, though, so as not to ruin his character._

_Then Lewa's image changed again. "Then the Bohrok attacked, and the Toa were completely on edge… That would be okay, again, except I think they still didn't trust me not to hurt myself. Not even when I was able to get out…" He bit his lip. "I've told you about the Krana, haven't I?"_

_"For the sake of the story, no."_

_His brother let out a snort. "Please, Kopaka, not now." He immediately went back to biting. "The Krana… The Krana was the worst. It preyed on my feelings, using them to destroy everything I loved. Now, I know what you're thinking: 'What about the infected Miru, brother? Didn't it prey on your emotions too, perhaps even more? How could this slime-slug do anything?'"_

_"It was a Bohrok construct, and was thus being used by Makuta as well?"_

_"Good guess", Lewa whispered. Then he scowled. "I'll tell you how. The Bahrag wanted me to become one with the swarm. They picked apart my mind and made me feel inhuman. Makuta, while his goals were similar, only wanted me as a pawn, and nothing more. That was why he simply warped my mind rather than allowing me to stay."_

_Kopaka's eyes widened. "You mean… You were not under control while wearing the infected mask?"_

_"I was, actually. Just not fully."_

_Tanma glared at them from his sleeping point. "Who cares? It's a mind controller. Just can it already."_

_His partner grinned. "Not quite, Tanma… there's still quite a bit left to go. Want to hear some?"_

_"No thanks. I'm fine right up here in this incision, where I'll be immune to these stupid epics."_

_"Suit yourself." The Toa turned back to his brother. "It changed my thoughts for the worse… made me think I was a servant of Makuta, made me want to hurt my friends." He offered a small smile. "But that's not important. See, the Krana, on the other hand, changed my actions. Things I could control, rather than couldn't… No, you're right, light-brother, I'm getting off track. I should get to the point." He sighed. "My toa-brothers and sister didn't trust me again… and I had a pretty good reason as to why I had done what I had. They just wouldn't take it, since they thought I was insincere… sorry, I'm not boring you, am I?"_

_"No. This is invigorating. Keep going."_

_"Seriously?"_

_"Yes. Seriously. Continue."_

_Lewa smirked. "Nice to know we're heart-bonding over some crummy Toa-angst." He frowned and continued. "I think the whole Bahrag thing was a factor, too. They thought they would use me as blackmail to ruin everything… thank Mata Nui that didn't happen, but it seemed like a legitimate complaint at the time. At least it was forgotten once the Bohrok-Kal came in… yes, the splitting of the Toa did happen, but that was more… er… your fault then mine. Much-sorry." He coughed to get rid of some dust that had clogged his nose. "Then things were okay, at least until we had to go to Voya Nui. Then I felt foolish again… and then the whole reawakening thing happened. That was all right; but now we're in Karda Nui, and I just heard you complaining to Pohatu about my brush-run with Icarax, and I thought maybe it was an issue again…"_

_Kopaka smiled. Actually smiled. "Not really, no."_

_"But I'm waxing rhetoric about nothing in particular… Aren't you disappointed?"_

_"No. You have been rambling, that is true, but it feels like proper rambling. You have never talked about your feelings this much before, haven't you?"_

_Lewa grinned sheepishly. "Well… not exactly…"_

_The icy Toa raised an eyebrow. "Onua?"_

_"W-what? No… t-that's not…"_

_"Relax, brother. Your secret is safe with me. Just understand this, in return: you may act like a child, even you know this, but we Toa love you all the same. Your personality and actions would never change this. Some may not show it, but they do have affection for you, somehow or someway."_

_"Even you?" Kopaka felt an elbow dig into his arms._

_"Yes…" he sighed. "Even me. I will rescind it if you continue to hurt me like this, however."_

_Lewa grinned. "Aww. C'mere, you big pansy." He held out his arms in glee and pulled Kopaka down from his sitting position._

They had begun to get into a big tickle fight, which Kopaka preferred _not _to remember, adorable as it was; it was not that he _didn't _want to be seen as a pansy, but that he didn't want _specific _people to know. The thing wasn't really anything to make a fuss of, but the Toa knew some people would greatly overreact if they found out he had acted like he had.

The others were, again, speechless. Even Lewa. He obviously hadn't expected Kopaka to memorize their talk in such detail. The Ice Toa paused, waiting for some sort of response.

"Heh. Biggest load of crap I've ever heard."

Not the kind of reply he was looking for.

* * *

"I'm _not _going."

"But you must, _vestal_. The Monastery cannot hold you any longer. You will be free to go off on your own, choose your own fate."

"_Excepting the one I've already been given,_" the first voice mumbled.

Light was falling on the Mother of Solomon Monastery, a central fixture in the village of Azarath. Monks and nuns came here to practice their creed, a refined version of the magic that had become prevalent within the Azari line. The voice, belonging to a girl named Rachel Roth, had been brought to the monastery as a child, after her mother had lost her in a run-in with the Cult of Blood. She frowned at the illicit thought, murmuring some words to push it out of her head.

She had recently turned 14, and as custom, the monks were letting her (more like forcing her) leave, giving her the freedom to travel to any place in the magical realm. If it were up to her, she would have stayed at the Monastery to refine her magic skills and teach them to the young, but alas…

It wasn't really the monks' fault that the decision was so abrubtly made, anyways. They could not take care of her any longer. A sudden influx of refugees from Ankh-Morphok had stretched their duties thin, and as it was she was old enough to fend for herself. Rachel frowned. If only she wasn't being sent off with the curse on her back…

No need to dwell over it now. The other voice, the property of Father Bedlam, a high priest of Azarath, had apparently heard her remark. "_Raven!_" The girl sighed. She wasn't too fond of the name, but it was tradition to give new practitioners Azarathian names if they hadn't any. "That fate cannot be worried over forever. When it happens, it happens." He sighed. "You must understand: there is more to your life than one simple birthing condition. Having travel privileges will allow you to realize this."

"But Father," Rachel moaned, "what good will that do? I'm not too much of an admirable person as is. Going to other places isn't going to change that."

Father Bedlam smiled, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. "You have not tried it yet, have you? Trust me, Raven. This will be a great life-changing experience." The smile became a smirk. "I trust you do not know of _my _own travels?"

Rachel suppressed a grin. "No, Father." (In truth, she had already mind-read him, but that wasn't something she wanted the man to know.)

"Well, I can tell you that they were something to _die _for." He chuckled. Looking up at the sky, he clapped Rachel on the back, straightened himself up, and began walking to the door. "It appears breakfast will dawn on Azarath soon. You should get going."

"Yes, Father."

The priest turned back to his protégé. "Good luck, my pupil. The worlds beyond Azarath are much to fear, yet they are much to marvel at the same time."

Rachel began packing up her belongings, placing them in a small pocket dimension. She pulled on her charm belt and donned her blue cloak. Gasping in realization, she turned and ran out the door.

Humming an old song to himself, Father Bedlam walked to the Town Hall. "Yes, she _will _do well, alright. I know it for myself- _Ack!_"

Raven had charged up to him and was now hugging him, burying her face into the folds of his robe. He smiled and returned the gesture. It was not often that his pupil showed any signs of emotion, and when she did, it was usually something to be proud of. From the looks of it, this was one of these times.

They stayed like that for a few seconds before pulling out. "I am surprised nothing broke that time," the priest smirked.

"Shut up," his friend snapped. "I wasn't in control those times."

"I'm sure you were," he retorted. He held out his hand in a handshake, Raven taking a while to repay him. "I must go 'for real' now, as you young ones say. Farewell, Rachel," he called as he trotted away.

Rachel beamed. "Farewell, Father."

Her moment of happiness quickly dulled. Where was she to go? How was she to get there? The high priests had said she should just imagine any world in the magical realm, but she had no idea what that entailed. Should she visit Hogwarts? Narnia? Lawrencia, even? Her choice had to be a logical one. Something that was realistic while still having fantasy in the foreground. Something that she could look back on later and not fill herself with regret. Something like…

_Earth_.

Yes. That was brilliant. She knew many of her colleagues had enjoyed seeing places like it, and that her mother had been a fairly regular tourist of some areas… and when the time came for her destiny to be fulfilled, she would not be so attached to it so as to cry herself out over destroying the whole-

No. It would not do to get flustered. _Azarath metrion zinthos_, she muttered, keeping a nearby light from exploding. The destruction of objects after feeling strong emotions was _definitely _an aspect of her magic she had to learn to control. It didn't matter much now, but when she got to Earth…

Maybe it would be a problem. Maybe it wouldn't. Either way, she had to go before somebody raised an issue… it would be a great life-changing experience, as Father Bedlam had said. She sat down cross-legged, closed her eyes, and focused, a subtle black aura forming around her.

Using a kind of magic like hers was complicated. From what she could tell, her powers could only be messed with when she was completely emotionless, which was why she had worked to repress them (it had alienated the other children, but it was worth it, if only to keep her curse out of the spotlight.) She also had to keep an air of relative concentration and have a good motivation for doing so. Functioning with such rules had been a pain, but to finally get a good grip on them last year had been a great relief.

She thought of the place she was to visit. _Earth. Round, green, and… blue? The weather is good. Many people live there, mainly humans. There is a sizable proportion of magic, but most do not pay heed to it. I will need to spawn in a… _She paused. Where _should _she spawn, exactly?

She thought back to her childhood. When she had still been around her mother, the woman had taken her to a bigger town, which she called a city. The place was big, with huge metal towers, winding paved roads, and many mechanical objects. Its aesthetics had pleased Rachel so much it was one of the few good memories of Arella she had kept in her mind.

_Yes. A 'city', then. I will spawn in a city… preferably the one I went to as a child. I wish to see the towers and roads again. Take me there._

The aura grew stronger before exploding into bright white light, her eyes flashing open to become the exact same colour. Her mind screamed, unwilling to be warped so easily. Repressing this feeling, she forced herself to be taken to this city on Earth, filled with awe and wonder…

_Azarath metrion ZINTHOS!_

And then she was gone.

* * *

Kopaka just glared at Gali. The Water Toa was behaving significantly out of the norm today. Had she eaten too many Thornax fruits? Was Tahu forcing her to act so strangely? He did not know. Either way, Lewa was right in calling her out.

"Excuse me?" he said.

"You heard me, Toa. It's a load of _crap_. I know enough of Lewa to understand that he wouldn't tell someone like you _anything_."

Kopaka scowled. "Despite what I just told you?"

"Yeah yeah," Gali replied, rolling her eyes. "Probably some sappy fluff the poor guy made up to make himself feel better."

That was enough. Lewa was stupid, true, but he didn't deserve to be mocked like this. Nobody did.

"You take that back," he snapped, pointing a finger at his sister.

Pohatu put a hand on his friend's arm. "Kopaka…"

"Sorry, brother. I will not stand for this any longer."

"You wish to incite disunity among us? Even after what you have done before?"

The Toa sighed. "If only to squash the rude, then yes."

Gali scoffed. "Ha, ha, ha. Looks like Stoney's tryin' to protect his friend… ain't going to help you when I can drown you like _this_." She held up her Nynrah Ghostblaster for emphasis.

Tahu looked at his heartmate wearily. "_Gali!_" he warned, staring into her mask. "What is _up_ with you today? Are you _sure_ you are well?"

"The Great Ocean did no harm to my psyche, pretty boy," Gali smirked. "If anything did, it would have to be the tidal crabs. Cheeky little piraka who can't seem to figure out when a Toa wants them to _let go_."

The leader just gaped at her.

"Aw, I'm just jossin' with you," she giggled. "I'm really just calling something to importance. Kopaka should _not _have insulted the Turaga like that. He knew it was coming and he _knew _I was going to lash out at him." She leered at her rival.

"Is that so?" he muttered.

"I would think so," Onua replied, seemingly having regained his hearing. "Gali _is _right, brother. While the Turaga have no place in making our decisions for us, we are not entitled to demean them like this. It disrespects our duty."

"Wouldn't expect you to have an opinion like _that_, brother," Pohatu noted.

"And _I wouldn't _expect you to disagree with him," Kopaka scowled.

"_Hey_! Hasn't it happened _before?_"

"Name one incidence."

Pohatu frowned, deep in thought. "Uuh… not many that I can remember…"

Gali giggled. "I would've expected that from _you_."

The Stone Toa frowned at this. Then he leered. Then he _smouldered._

"_Why, I_ _oughta_-" He screamed with rage, hands leaping out to possibly crush his sister. Onua stopped him, though.

"There is no reason to do _that_, brother."

"She's being stupid! What happened to her whole 'we must stick together' spiel? Mocking and insulting us like this isn't going to _help _that!"

"But to strangle her in return? Surely there are better methods of calming her?"

"I'll show _you_ 'calming her,'" Pohatu growled.

"_Brothers_," Lewa called. "No need to worry-fight. This was _supposed _to be a joy-reunion, like the Chronicler explicitly-"

Oh. Pohatu had tackled Onua to the ground. This wasn't going to end well.

Tahu facepalmed. "_Brothers!_ Lewa is right, on _both points._" He smiled a bit at his brother. "We should acknowledge him and stop fighting." Frowning when he saw the tacklefest continuing, he trudged up to them, kicking them a bit with his foot, and said, "Immediately. As in _now_. _Right this minute._" When it would not even stop with that, he fumed, sword flaring a bit, and finished, "_Finish this now or I will be forced to burn you._"

* * *

A large human squeezed himself into a car. Turning one of his fingers into a key, he quickly turned the ignition and started the car. Breathing hard, he raced down the road he had previously been sprinting along.

The human, a male who for the moment preferred to remain nameless, had just dashed out of his parents' house for reasons he wanted the Chronicler not to explain. It seemed any enlightenment on his character would end up being too offensive, and the male simply wanted to focus on getting out of there. Well, his town, anyway.

It had been a tough road, he reflected. Being a famous sports star and athlete, he had suddenly crashed a car one night and lost most of his body. Desperate to save his son, the male's father had given him cybernetic parts to replace the broken areas. The procedure had worked, but the male and his family had been threatened by many sinister operations as a result, so the cyborg had decided to leave to let his parents feel safe. He mentally slapped himself. Hadn't he told the Chronicler those were the reasons he had told him _not _to explain? (The Chronicler replied that they were important insights on his character, and leaving them alone would have negatively impacted it, creating a stereotype, which he wished to avoid. The male seemed to be okay with that.)

He pushed down on the acceleration pedal, bioorganic feet speeding up the car even further. A good distance was put between him and his house before he realized: where was he to go? He didn't know of too many places that would accept a biomechanical man. Gotham, Metropolis, Star, Central, Keystone… His organic eye widened in realization. _What about Jump?_

_Yes. _Jump City, or Jump as it was usually termed, was well known for being tolerant and even accepting of diverse people. While this aspect often attracted those on the wrong side of the path, they were for the most part taken care of with no problem. Heck, there was a giant science lab and _two _universities. He had _every _reason to go there. _Even if I don't have that much money_, he mused.

Turning onto the nearest highway entrance, Victor Stone grinned in anticipation. _Jump it is._

* * *

"And what will _that _do?" Onua hissed. "My brother is obviously too preoccupied with beating me up to care," he let out as Pohatu clocked him in his chest armour.

Lewa covered his mouth with his hands, too anxious to react to anything; then his friend raised a ball of dirt, intending to shut his opponent up. And then he snapped.

"Don't you _touch_ him!" he jeered, throwing himself onto Onua. Blinded by the Air Toa's iron grip, the biomech was not able to control his powers very well and ended up dropping the ball...

All

Over

Gali.

The belligerent did not have much of a response at first, blinking in surprise. Soon she began to twitch, eyes beginning to glow. The damp feeling of mist filled the air. Finally, her body shook uncontrollably, eyes now gleaming a brilliant yellow. The Toa raised an aqua axe and spoke.

"_How. DARE. **YOU!**_"

_WHUMP._

Gali had also thrown herself into the ring, slashing her axes at Lewa. Jets of water splashed in his eyes, which were soon closed tightly. The room began to grow very humid. Growls and grunts radiated along the walls, floors pounding repeatedly. Waves of water, stone, and dirt flew through the air, threatening to stain the cleanliness that was a Toa Nuva's adaptive armour. Kopaka couldn't take it anymore.

As a wave hit him on his chestplate, he activated his Akaku, searching for some sort of weakness to exploit. An admirable endeavor…

_SPLOOSH!_

If a glob of dirt hadn't exploded and disabled his eyepiece first.

He groaned, shoulders sagging in defeat. Then he adjusted himself into a battle stance.

"I will not take this debauchery any longer. It is toxic and deplorable." Glaring at Gali, he continued, "I know it has been said much before, but that was the last act of malice. The final straw."

Then he hurled himself onto the Water Toa, and the battle raged once more.

The two shapes Koryand'r had seen before, now clearly identifiable as fellow warriors, were conversing on what seemed to be the proper taming mechanics for a "Scarabax." She giggled softly. The environment may have been new, but its people still acted the same.

Tahu, Toa Mata of Fire, raged. This meeting, or as Lewa termed it, reunion, had _not _gone as planned. The Toa had intended to catch up on things with his brothers and sister, sit them down, _calmly_ tell Lewa of the Turaga's order, and work on a plan for what to do now that they were all together. Somehow an unscrupulous force had ruined that, and quite wholehandedly too. There was _no _way he could separate them now, unless he…

Oh _no_. He was _not _doing that. His brother would never… He sighed. Screw it. A leader must do whatever it takes to keep his team together, after all.

He slammed his foot down on the floor, dislodging some parts of the floor. Four heads interrupted their banging and turned to him expectantly. The Toa harrumphed for good measure, a fifth turning as well.

This wasn't going to be easy. But he had to.

Tahu walked up to Lewa. Bending down, he reached through the pile of bodies and found that of the emerald Toa. Swallowing hesitantly, he gingerly lifted up his brother's chin until lime-kissed eyes were meeting his dazzling pink ones.

"Tahu? What're you…"

He leant in, keeping his body close to Lewa's. Heartlight flashing rapidly, he flung out his arms and

* * *

**_SLAP._**

* * *

The sound reverberated everywhere, causing a ringing sensation in everyone's ears. H'ssiah clasped his clawed hands over his head, eyes widening as he realized the noise had not come from any of his buffoons, or troops for that matter, but from a nearby construct. The Lieutenant focused his eyes on the source of the ringing, slits tensing as they worked.

It appeared to have originated in a house. A quaint affair, small in area but having large ceilings. Tiny glazed windows dotted its walls, reflecting images of the squadron. A circular door lay ajar, allowing silence to be heard.

What were these Agori _thinking_? They had to be insane to let others know of their intermaritial fights like this. ssiah exhaled but quickly inhaled when he realized it could be something else-

The Rutan'gah? _Here? _It couldn't possibly be. There was no way a pitiful little shack could hold her destructive power.

And yet… The thought appealed to him. The people here _were _a little dense, yes, but they couldn't be _completely _stupid. The environment wouldn't allow them to be. If the slave had somehow found an Agori family who welcomed her with open arms, responsive to her plight, they would quickly…

Would quickly…

They would notify their protectors. _Glatorian_, he writhed. No doubt they would come to their aid, thrusting the army back and eradicating Gordania's chances of gaining standing in the Galactic Coalition. He couldn't allow it. There wasn't even a possibility of it, as the King and Queen had been on his posterior from day one to keep something abnormal from happening. Any missteps would result in his vaporization. No doubt.

H' frowned. This couldn't happen. A Rutan'gah could _not_ escape its captors. Calling on his troops, he marched, then jogged, then literally _ran _to a dune behind the hut.

* * *

Chapter Five!

Comments:

1. The flashback is to 2008, in the middle of _Shadows in the Sky_ (Bionicle Legends #9.) More specifically, it takes place right after the scene where the Toa meet the Shadow Matoran for the first time (I _think. _I haven't read the book in a while.) Hope it was some nice fluff!_  
_

2. Raven and Cyborg! I kept their origin stories reasonably intact but changed some minor things to differentiate the story a bit (I'm not sure if the Azarathians were _ever_ that nice to Raven. That _is_ Arella who she's trying to forget, by the way. Also the Cyborg scene sucks sorry.)

3. The slap scene is pretty much a big shoutout to Green Devil's fics (LIME-KISSED EYES.) They're a bit ridiculous at times, but can get to be quite good.

Read and review!


	6. Breakaway

**Chapter Six: Breakaway**

The sound reverberated everywhere, causing a ringing sensation in everyone's ears. Nobody could speak. The silence was deafening, even the faintest plinks of pieces of the device audible. Having been enhanced with Tahu's power, the slap had caused a massive rise in temperature, what remained of the floor quickly succumbing to a small flood.

Lewa rubbed his mask tenderly, eyes wide and unblinking and focused on his brother. He opened his mouth, a small squeak all that came out. Eyes trembling, he was finally able to say, "B-brother? What was _that_ for?" Lime-green orbs began to water.

Tahu's mask quickly drooped. That wasn't how he was supposed to react… No. He mentally rightened himself. Any moment now, Lewa would catch on and-

Voice stained with a sob, the Toa tried again. "Tahu?" A few droplets of protodermis slid down his mask and pattered on the floor.

"Lewa… Forgive me, brother… I only meant to…"

Lewa sniffed. "Only meant to what?"

Tahu noticed that the door was ajar and went to close it, quickly speeding back to his brother. Staring at his eyes, he realized the extent of his gesture. It hadn't really-

"I only meant to stop you."

"Stop me?" he whimpered. "From keeping my Toa- m-m-my brothers and sisters f-f-from fighting? Why would you do that?"

"Because…" Tahu paused and bit his lip. He hadn't quite worked out why…

"Because…" Lewa looked at him expectantly, eyes wet with protodermis.

"I don't know, because…" All of the Toa were staring at him now. He had to come up with _something_, _anything_…

"_BecauseIthinkyou'vruinedeverything!_"

Lewa gaped in surprise. His head hung low as he processed what his brother had said.

"_Ruined… _b-b-because you t-t-think I-I'm-I'm _useless…_" Lime eyes darted to Tahu, tears quickly falling now.

Tahu grimaced. "O-Oh no… understand, Lewa, that wasn't because…" He froze in comprehension. "I… I…"

"I _guess _you're right, brother. It's just…" He sighed and sat on the ruins of Lewa's table. "I had intended this gathering to be peaceful and calm, things of which you are not instinctively capable of, no offense… but the urgency of everyone's arrival seems to have ruined that. It was supposed to be held in the meeting hall… the reunion… but then Gali messaged me through Hahli and told me that I should respect your condition…" He hung his head as well. "I'm sorry, Lewa. It's my fault this happened. I should've listened to your opinion as well…"

His brother looked at him, trembling as he did so. "So you _were_ right," he wept. "I _am _useless…"

Tahu's jaw snapped open. No… that wasn't what he'd meant at all!

"N…no…" he whispered, cradling Lewa's head in his hands and shooshing him. "That's not true… at all…"

"…Please believe me, brother. I'd never do something like _that _to you…"

Lewa froze, lime-kissed eyes tinged with sadness. That emotion quickly turned to hatred.

"No…" he sobbed. "You would… _because YOU'RE WORKING WITH THEM!_" He yelled in rage and _slammed_ Tahu into the wall with a gust of wind.

"You had no real interest in my health, _did _you? The papping, the hugging… all for nought…" he hissed, "because of the Turaga and their _STUPID _virtues!"

The lone Toa Mata looked at him in surprise. "How… how could it be the _Turaga? _Is it not the Great Beings who are working with them to-"

"I don't _CARE_!" He paused and let out a ragged breath. "They are working with them all the same… we have been _betrayed_, brother. _Betrayed_ by our _own_-"

"_Lewa!_" Gali called. He turned to her, eyes blazing in anger.

"I am sorry, Lewa… that transgression was rude of me… please, forgive my…"

The Toa's expression changed. He put his head in his hands and began to _laugh_.

"_Now? _Of all the times you could have just stopped and _apologized, _you pick _now_…"

Pohatu looked at him and smiled sympathetically. "I apologize too. Toa should not fight when they have better reason not to."

Onua smiled and nodded.

The sad chuckles faded. "I think Toa are _missing the point_!" Lewa swiveled to Tahu again, stomping a foot on the floor for emphasis. "Fire-brother… in his admission… had a point. We should not be worrying about unity at a time like this. The… _Turaga_ need to be informed of our decision at once-"

"What about Matau?"

Kopaka. A snarky comment. _As __**always**__. Good ol' __**Kopaka.**_

Lewa looked at him in surprise. Then he trudged over to him and hauled him up by the collar of his armour, pulling their masks close together.

"_Screw _Matau!" he screamed. The other Toa gasped.

"I _know_… that _is _rather rude-demeaning… but he is working with the Great Beings. He does not deserve my respect… not anymore," he sighed.

"Should you not inform him of this decision?"

The Toa's eyes lit up for a second. "Inform him? Of what?"

"Of this so-called decision," Kopaka said softly.

Lewa frowned and turned to his siblings. "I don't know, Toa-brothers and sisters… should I?"

The Toa Nuva paused in thought.

* * *

Arguing. Arguing, arguing, _arguing_. That was literally all he heard.

H'ssiah had seen enough from this house to tell him that even if the family had _not _been sheltering the Rutan'gah, they would be pests if left untouched. He had to at least_ see_ what they were up to.

"Man the cannons," he called and smiled evilly. "We are about to take out a possible threat to our livelihood."

Two soldiers loaded cannonballs into a giant gun, awkwardly saluting. "What's the threat, Boss?" one called.

In his insatiable curiosity with the house, the Lieutenant forgot the act of disrespect. "I am not sure, but it seems to involve the slave." He turned to the rest of his men. "Fire at will."

A group of troops pulled on the gun's stringer. A powder-filled weapon shot out, quickly descending on its target. The smoke trails following it brushed the walls of the house, then

* * *

**_BOOOOOOOOM._**

The warriors were suddenly picked up from their positions and _flung_ around the hut. Rumbles shook the hut, more debris falling from the roof. A large shockwave collapsed it entirely, a cloud of smoke filling the air.

Lewa coughed intensely, using his vacuum powers to clear some of the haze from the room. Who could have done that? He was sure everyone had just been pondering… _unless…_

The smoke cleared. Five biomechs, wearing similar armour to his, quickly appeared. From further inspection, they appeared to be painted in different colours; brown, black, white, blue, red-

Oh. That was _them._ The Toa Nuva. Of course.

He glared at them, eyes narrowed in exasperation. "Who…" He took a moment to cough. "Who could have _done_ that?"

They paused.

Then Pohatu put his claws up in defense, waving them around haphazardly. "Not _me_, that's for sure! I may've been a… _biit_ angry with you in the past, yeah, but I'd never try to _kill _you…"

The Toa glared at him. "_Kill _me? Why in Mata Nui's name would you _think_ of that?"

His brother grinned sheepishly. "Eh… force of habit, is all?"

"Riiight."

"Not me," Kopaka insisted. "As Pohatu interjects, I _have_ been angry with you before, but I would never focus that feeling on killing you. It is against the Toa Code as is."

Onua smiled at Lewa. "Heh. Can't say I was… _angry-mad _with you…"

His partner's attempt to use tree-speak was enough to make Lewa smile back. Then Gali said something and ruined everything.

"I will have to agree with my brothers on this one, Lewa. Differing opinions on a stupid policy aren't enough to get me _that_ riled."

Lewa growled at that remark, then stopped to ponder. None of the siblings appeared to want to kill him; that much was clear. That meant they wouldn't go to such lengths to get others to, as that would be a Code violation as well.

But… what if they'd only wanted to teach him a lesson? Get under his skin for being "stupid?" The only person he could imagine doing such a thing right now was…

Tahu.

_Tahu._

_TAHU._

_I'm gonna show that piraka a thing or two_, he seethed.

Turning to Tahu, he smiled and said sweetly, "Brother? Did _you_ have a hand in this?"

As expected, the Toa frowned and shook his head. "No, Lewa… Why would I do such a thing?"

"Certainly not to _teach me a lesson,_" Lewa responded. He grinned. "I mean, isn't it obvious? Useless people need to learn their place in life!"

Tahu gasped in understanding. "No… I wouldn't teach you like _that_. Many see me as harsh and unforgiving, yes, but to blow your hut up just because you're 'useless…' I don't know why you'd think such a thing!"

Gali rolled her eyes. "Of _course_ you do, brother. Wasn't that kind of behavior prevalent during the whole mask business? Or after he got 'Kranaed'? Or when the Rahkshi came? Or in Voya Nui, when Reidak broke his katana? Or when we prepared to reawaken the Great Spirit? Or in Karda Nui, fighting the Makuta? Was it not applicable _then_, too?"

Tahu gaped.

_"Yes, I agree with the blue woman," _another voice called. _"Your rambling is pathetic. Cease it at once."_

Everyone froze.

"What was _that_ supposed to be, Sister?" Tahu inquired.

Gali looked at him and shrugged. "I do not know. But you have to admit," she smiled, putting her hand on his shoulder, "he does have a point. Talking isn't going to get us anywhere right now."

The Toa of Fire stared at here. "Get us… anywhere?" He smiled weakly. "_Get_… us anywhere? Sister… you have _always_ advocated talking about our problems before. What happened to make you change that?"

"Sleeping with Kiina, that's what," Kopaka quipped.

Tahu frowned. Then he fumed. _Hard_. Charging up to Gali, he quickly turned up the heat with his flame swords.

"_Sister!_" he cried. "I cannot _believe _you! Why would you _do_ this?"

"I thought you said our relationship was flexible!"

"On both parties' terms, I recall," Tahu huffed. He turned to Kopaka, who held up his shield reflexively.

"Don't look at me, brother. This is only what I have heard."

"From _where?_"

"From him, fire-spitter," Kopaka responded, pointing to Pohatu.

"_Kopaka!_" Pohatu cried. "I thought you said you wouldn't rat me out like that?"

"Keeping Gali's… activities a secret like that was not something I wanted to make a pact. It was to be said at the right moment."

"But… butt…" Pohatu turned to Onua, eyes pleading. "Do something, brother!"

"I can do nothing," the Toa rumbled. "As far as I know, the town hall about that had not been very private. Kopaka is right in that it would have been known" He turned to Tahu. "Did you not preside over that meeting, brother?"

Tahu paled. "I… did…but I never heard…"

He pulled Gali up by the neckbone. "This is not fair! If the others are to be believed, you have kept a grave secret from us… I really ought to…"

"Brother."

"Not _now, _Lewa." He raised a hand to slap Gali but was intercepted by Kopaka.

"_Brother. I think my hut is going to_-"

"I said _not now_," Tahu insisted, blocking a punch from Onua. "Keep it to yourself."

"_Brother! I have spotted an army in the distance-"_

"_Keep it to yourself!"_ Tahu screamed, kicking Pohatu's climbing claws away.

Lewa shrieked. "_Augh! BROTHER! We are all going to-_"

**_BOOOOOOOOM._**

Another bomb exploded, this time in a little garden Lewa had prepared for growing foodstuffs. A tree quickly fell over, and some dirt had been spewed in the Toa's direction. Growling hostilely, the Air Toa got up from his burial site under some rubble and walked over to his siblings.

"_That_ is why I was calling you." He massaged his mask. "How can you be so _dense_? The leader of the Toa Nuva and you cannot even _process_ the opinions of others? Did the Golden Armour make you _insane_?"

"Lewa." Tahu scowled. "I did _nothing _wrong. I have merely been working to protect the unity of the Toa Nuva," he noted, indicating the angry warriors who were his fellow Toa.

"We could have _died_," Lewa stated. "Do you really believe a relationship problem to be more important than-"

"Leave him alone!" Gali insisted. The others echoed her views.

The emerald warrior just stared. How could they- Why wouldn't they- what was _wrong_ with-

He raged, steam literally billowing out of his audio receptors. Moving up to Tahu, he gripped the Toa's armour in his hands and violently yanked him down. Bringing his mask close to his, he glared at the Toa and kissed him. Then he pulled him back up, jumped up to his mask, pulled his right arm back, and

**_WHACK!_**

Lewa had slugged Tahu with his Midak Skyblaster. _Hard_. Reeling from the pain, the Toa fell back and crashed into the hole Onua had created.

He groaned and gingerly rubbed his head where the weapon had hit him. "Lewa…" he moaned. "Why would you do that?"

"Why would you leave us in danger like that?" the Toa retorted.

Tahu froze… "I… but… Gali… unity… Turaga… duty…"

Lewa did not acknowledge him. "I _meant _what I saidearlier," he jeered, pointing to the ruined doorway. "_Get out._"

Pohatu paled in shock. "Lewa… why?"

"Your current behavior sickens me," the Spirit of Air hissed. "It all feels like a _mess._ You didn't make an effort to clean it up." He tapped his foot impatiently. "_Well_?"

Gali looked at him pleadingly. "Lewa… do you not respect the three virtues? Unity, duty, destiny? Kicking us out is not going to make anything better."

"Not like _you _just followed the virtues either," Lewa seethed. "Squabbling like _children_ over irrelevant topics, failing to come to a common conclusion, and leaving me out in the dust. I've no reason to listen to you."

She frowned. "But… what would the Turaga say?"

"I already _told_ you what I think," he grumbled. "_Screw _them." Pointing to the doorway again, he impatiently repeated, "Are you not going to _get out_ or not?"

"Not like this…" Tahu creaked. "Please… have some common… sense…"

**_BOOOOOOOOM._**

"**_GET OUT!_**"

* * *

The Toa of Fire looked at him and pouted.

Then he stood up, walked to the doorway, and turned.

"You'll regret this later," he sneered.

"Oh, I'm sure I will," Lewa returned.

Pohatu got up next, putting a hand on Lewa's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, brother," he said, smiling sympathetically. "I hope you will find it in your heartlight to forgive us soon."

The smaller Toa smiled weakly. "Yeah… I guess I will." He gently pushed Pohatu off him, leaving the bigger Toa to trudge off into the distance.

The Water Spirit left a few minutes later, tightly wrapping her arm around Lewa's neck before she did so.

"I guess… this is not a goodbye, is it? It certainly does not feel like one."

"Yeah," Lewa grinned. "More like… a hiatus. Until I get over my conflicted feelings. Like the whole Bohrok-Kal thing, really."

Gali beamed and went to the doorway. She turned around to add, "Oh… and one more thing, brother. Do you still feel like we are not acknowledging you?"

"Um… only a bit," he responded.

The Toa said goodbye and was off.

Kopaka followed. In a surprising act of solidarity, he came up to Lewa and pulled him into a hug.

"Kopaka?" Lewa asked. "Why are you-"

"It is as you said. This is only until you get over your feelings. I… figured this would help guide you on that path."

"What do you mean?"

"I feel like this meeting was the start of a new part of your destiny. A new dawn, if you will. Our destinies are not set in stone, as I'm sure you recall."

The Air Toa grinned. "Do-sure. I'm not sure about this being a 'new dawn'… but I will keep-mind." He pulled Kopaka into a nougie and sent him off. "Have a nice brooding session, pansy," he called out.

Finally…

Onua was the last to leave. Despite all his negative feelings towards the Toa and the group as a whole, he really really wanted his partner to stay, even though he knew this couldn't be the case.

"Earth-brother…" he whispered, letting the Toa pull him into his arms, "I don't want you to quick-leave. It wouldn't be just-fair."

Onua chuckled. "And was sending the others off any better?" He smiled. "Look, Lewa. Your remark to Gali had some tact. I believe… that this _isn't_ the end, as did you. It feels like a time to heal, look back on the past, reflect.

"Could we not do that together?" Lewa noted as his partner massaged his head. "Y'know…" he mused. "We could be a fierce-strong Toa Team. It'd just be the two of us, fighting bad guys, with no stupid rules or restrictions to let us down. Could be fun…" he giggled, laying his head on Onua's shoulder.

"No, Lewa…" The Earth Toa laughed heartily. Lewa loved it when he did that. "Kopaka has a point too, sorry to say. This appears to be the start of _your _destiny, and _your_ destiny alone. As much as I'd like to kick posterior with you, I must leave fate to do its work."

"Aaw, Onua…" Lewa moaned dramatically. He pouted. "I don't know… why me, do you think? Being picked first in terms of destiny and all? I'm sure fire-spitter or stone-brother could do better."

"Their purposes would not be the same," Onua remarked. "Tahu's in particular. His problem seems to be _staying_ withthe Toa, as opposed to yours, which is to be _away _from the Toa. The circumstances can't work."

The younger grinned. "Oh, yeah. I suppose I should just sit back and let destiny do its thing, huh?"

"Yes. I believe you should."

Lewa got up and started to help his friend up as well, then paused. "Wait, brother. What of the Turaga? I _was _being very rude to them… do you think I should go to Matau? And tell him everything?"

Onua pondered this. "Probably not. Call me a 'weirdo', but I believe they know all of this already." He allowed Lewa to help him up. "Contacting them, even if only for interaction, would not be wise."

The Air Toa sighed. "Yeah… I guess. I just wish I could give Matau… _Turaga _Matau a hug or something. As a thanks. Just leaving him on the line like that would be…" He began to cry again.

The elder smiled and wiped his partner's tears. "Do not weep over this, my _kardin._ I am sure he feels the same way."

"I know, but…"

"You don't need to know right now. Just feel." He leaned down and pulled Lewa into a passioned kiss. When they broke off, he continued, "Your destiny is not yet clear. Thus there is nothing _to _know. Let your emotions be your guide."

Lewa sniffed a bit. "Thanks, Onua." He dragged him into a tight hug. Smiling as the Toa walked away, he admitted, "I love you, my _kardin_."

"As I do you," the Toa of Earth finished.

Then he was gone.

They were all gone.

Hit with this realization, Lewa sunk to his knees and bawled.

* * *

A mound of rubble that had once been a shack lay in ruins near the dune that the soldiers had been hiding behind. Lieutenant H'ssiah used a telescope to peer into the pile and frowned. From the looks of things, the Rutan'gah had not been here at all; the arguing he had overheard had come from a group of tall, chromatically armoured warriors._ Glatorian_! They had seemed like somewhat of a threat, but a scout confirmed that the fools had not hid or even _known_ of the alien being. Pitiful. All-powerful protectors of many, and they did not understand the hazard that had placed itself before them. He scoffed to himself.

Yet…

Despite the lack of danger, the Lieutenant was still interested in what remained. One of the warriors had stayed behind, head buried in some debris. Was he crying? H' could not be certain, but yes, it seemed that he was sobbing. Howling, even. He sighed before an ear perked up in sudden awareness.

Gordanians are known for having significantly enhanced hearing, the structure of their ears allowing them to pick up on more minute emissions. The "Screamers of Death," the race had once been nicknamed. A slightly inaccurate label, but as a social species they would take what they could get.

As a senior in the Gordanian army, ssiah had devoted much time to improving the efficiency of his senses. This enabled him to hear much of what his men could not; at the moment, he was picking up a… desire?

The trail was barely audible, like a whisper, but the Lieutenant was very much hearing a desire. One to leave his comrades, the other to… get out. Where, the alien could not make note of.

He had all the right mind to just get up, turn around, and go home, but the Lieutenant was interested in seeing if he could pick up a location. The crones in chairs could wait; studying Glatorian sociology seemed like a very good idea right now. H'ssiah's ears remained bent towards the rubble until-

_BEEP. BEEP. BEEP._

_Oh, not **again**_.

* * *

Garfield Logan rumbled indignantly. He was Changeling, of the Doom Patrol- no, he'd _been_ Changeling of the Doom Patrol. The dumb idiots had just kicked him out, and for no good reason, too!

He took a seat by a bus stop and contemplated his situation. Oh, he _really _wanted to punch Steve in the face right now- the boy sighed when he realized he couldn't. The Doom Patrol's leader had had _somewhat_ of an excuse, he grasped- Garfield had been acting selfish, and snobby, and all around _stupid _as of late. His behavior wasn't an excuse to shove him out the door, fling his bags at him, yell in his face, and slam the base's entrance on him, but it _did _seem like he needed to be taught a lesson. That was what Elasti-Girl had thought, anyway.

He exhaled dreamily as he thought of the woman, Rita Moranes. She done so much for him; found him as a boy, stranded in the wreckage he now knew to be caused by him; took him in as a member of the Patrol and raised him; policed him and supervised him as needed; and been a generally good mother and friend. Oh, and she had a nice figure, too- Changeling pushed the thought out of his mind. Elasti-Girl and Steve had reprimanded him very often for staring at her chest; not that he could be blamed for it, given his hormones and everything, but he didn't need to feel guilty for his actions anymore than he already was.

Slumping over on the bench, head collapsed in his lap, he reached into his backpack and pulled out his smartPhone to pass the time. Rita had given him the thing after the team's first victory against-

No! No need to keep thinking about her! He was an independent adult now!

Wait. Independent adult.

Changeling grinned. Now that he wasn't with the Doom Patrol, he didn't need to abide by their stupid rules. He could go wherever he wanted, play whatever video games he wanted, eat whatever kinds of tofu he wanted…

There was one thing he needed to do first, however. From now on, he wouldn't be referred to under the crummy title Steve had given him- now and forevermore, he was Beast Boy, _ex_-member of the Doom Patrol. Beast Boy smirked. He had a good choice in names! It totally complimented his ears. The ladies would totally dig him now…

He grinned again and looked back at his smartPhone, opening up the device's messenger application. The program had seen much use over the phone's lifetime- whether it was video games, tofu, girls, girls, or videogames, the boy was always using the thing to talk to friends.

Looking at his buddy list, Beast Boy noted that quite a few people were on lately. He was about to pick a person to start a chat when the telltale _plink! _of a message alert sounded and one started of its own accord.

* * *

Here's Chapter Six!

Comments:

1. It was _really _hard to end the argument satisfyingly and I'm glad I was able to figure it out. Jeez.

2. I hope there was enough pathos in there to sate your Hurt/Comfort desires.

3. Hey, it's Beast Boy! Say hi, Beast Boy! (I always wondered why he didn't just call himself Beast _Man_ from the beginning. Lack of competency?)

Read and review! (_Seriously. _I'm beginnin' to wonder if I need to throw _Danny Phantom_ in there somewhere as bait. Wouldn't like to do _that_.)


	7. Crawling From the Wreckage

**Chapter Seven: Crawling From the Wreckage**

**toddlyWonder [tW] began messaging chicksdigtheEars [cE] at 11:34 am**

tW: hey, gar. how's it going?

cE: ….

cE: not good dude

cE: dp just ttlly forced me to leve

cE: though im AM free to do watever i lyke atm...

tW: **i** am, dude. you repeated yourself.

tW: wait, they **forced** you to leave?

tW: you? the doom patrol?

tW: whaaaat? (anguished scream)

cE: dunno exctly why

cE: tink its got smng to do wit my behavior..… idk

cE: not lyke i waned to stay anyway

cE: steves been TTLY jackin my stile ltly

cE: wntd to.. gt out. go n mi own.

cE: u felin me dude?

tW: oh. daddy issues. riiiiiiiight. (knowing look)

cE: hahha yeh J

cE: OH btw

cE: call me beast boy now

cE: not wit tem rn sove got mre freedom

tW: i distinctly remember you wanting to call yourself beast **man**…

tW: but whatever. good on ya, bro! (accepting grin)

cE: :D

tW: guess you'll be headin' off on your own, then, huh?

tW: beast boy? (confused)

* * *

Beast Boy frowned. He'd had _very _good motivation for quitting the Doom Patrol, but he hadn't put much thought into where he'd wanted to go afterwards. Where _would_ he settle in between all the tofu, video games, and girls? He frowned upon realizing that toddlyWonder might know. His friend, who he had extrapolated to be one Jason Todd, had recently obtained a job with Bruce Wayne, one of the most famous CEOs ever (Garfield squeed a bit at that.) He was bound to know a thing or two about lodgings and the type.

* * *

tW: (taps foot impatiently)

cE: WAIT

cE: sry bout that dude

cE: got caryed awy tinkin n that.…

cE: say were SOULD i go?

tW: you mean you don't…

cE: hahaaaaa

cE: yeh flieng solo as alyaws 8)

cE: actlly idnt put muc tought in it tho.

cE: uh

cE: do u kno..

tW: hmm? (curious)

cE: abot….… haaaa

tW: beast boy. tell me.

tW: **now**. (ominous thunder)

cE: ….

cE: ok FYNE

cE: sheesh

cE: do u kno were i ken stey?

cE: to fit cryme n all?

tW: huh. give me a moment to look over that…

tW: (processing)

* * *

Garfield sighed as he waited. Jason, while abrasive and a bit manipulative, was a _damn _good scavenger (it had apparently been how he'd obtained the job, natch.) No matter what the database, be it a phone, a library, or Mr. Wayne's own network, he could find _anything_. It wouldn't take him long to find something, aggresive as he may be.

* * *

tW: FOUND IT (confetti)

tW: ceeelebration time, cmon!

tW: dananana nan a na naaa

cE: JAYSON

tW: what? (inquisitive)

cE: kyna shot on tyme her..

tW: :?

cE: ykno... busstop n ll...

tW: oh, yeah! right!

tW: shame you don't wanna sing along, though…

tW: it's a good song. and I **know** you have a great singing voice. 7:D

cE: HHAHAHAHAHHA nice tri

tW: fine. (grumble)

tW: found some great spots in socal. LA, san marcos, and jump, to be specific.

tW: any significant preference?

cE: ..

* * *

A bus rumbled to a stop beside Beast Boy. Climbing on, he put a coin in the till, shot a smirk and a gesture at the driver, and sat down by a window to ponder over Jason's choices.

* * *

cE: errrrr

cE: i unno dude

cE: las bleh

cE: san marcos seems pree cool

cE: dunno anything bout jump tho…

cE: lready mentioned la dot say nything funny

tW: you don't speak Spanish, do you? J

cE: no should i be

tW: nah. just checking. would be cool. (hopeless)

tW: let's see…

tW: seems like you don't want to visit LA. who wouldn't?

cE: u

tW: hey! (pouts)

cE: sry

tW: J

tW: that only leaves san marcos and jump.

tW: far as I know, sanmar, as the locals call it, is a pretty safe place in general. not much violence other than the beach and downtown.

tW: you're not planning to continue heroism, are you? (inquisitive)

cE: WAT DUDE

cE: of corse i am wth man

cE: sittin arond on the bech with sme chicks sems nice….

cE: but id raher keep up wat ive started. dum enogh to try anythin and ll.

tW: as I expected. :D

tW: jump…

tW: I don't know, dude. lots of crime all over, and not just the supernatural mystery you guys always used to fight.

tW: if it helps…

tW: robin seems to be there? oh WOW. hadn't seen THAT comin'.

cE: ?

tW: covert as always… hehehe… don't mind me. he hadn't shown any signs of leaving gotham, is all.

cE: ohscll

cE: but yOU SAID ROBIN wHAT?

cE: !?

* * *

Garfield began thrashing about in excitement, attracting the ire of other passengers. He didn't care much, though. Robin… was everything to him. His role model, in heroism and out. His motivation to stay with the Doom Patrol as long as he did (Rita's boobs notwithstanding.) His…

… his _idol_. He sighed dreamily and slumped back in his chair.

* * *

cE: oHYL DUDE wHAT

cE: WHYS HE TERE

tW: dude, calm down. (exasperated.)

tW: sorry. don't mind me. had a bad day at… work.

tW: carry on, garfield… (expectant)

cE: no m sry

cE: but i was askin u tho?

tW: ah. I think **I** take the blame then. forgive me. (bows)

tW: looks like he… left batman all together. can't really tell why.

tW: guess he was pretty tired of him, huh? teen superheroes can do that to a person. J

cE: i acually hppned to LYKE yj….

cE: nm its past us no

cE: cnt imagine batman wld do THAT mch to a person

tW: well, he IS batman, after all. I should know, sin

tW: wait

tW: you're… you're not thinking of going **after **him, are you? (worried)

cE: aDOIIII

cE: OF CORSE I M

cE: who do u think i m dude

cE: green lantern?

tW: …

tW: NOOO! (ashamed)

tW: don't make **fun** of him, bro. he's just a bit dense, is all.

cE: :D

tW: well then…

tW: guess you're headed off to jump, then?

tW: to meet him, to fight with him, or just plain admire him from afer? (eyebrows)

cE: lol wat do u tink

cE: yeh i lyke robin but i aint THAT fangirly

cE: (nsfw r34 ffic blech)

cE: im gonna see wat i cen do from afr and go n frm tere

cE: u with me?

tW: hahaha, agree with you on the fanfic. it's gross. L (pukes)

tW: i… **guess** i'll support your decision, then… still think you should meet him, though.

tW: he may think you're a crazy but at least you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you talked to him.

tW: what do you think?

cE: …

* * *

Garfield looked out the window and exhaled. A chance to go to Jump City, California, and… _meet_ Robin? And talk to him? And possibly fight baddies with him, knowing that Jason, being as clingy as he was, would support him?

Oh, _yes_. Of _course _he would.

* * *

cE: sry thinkin again

cE: i gotta say….

cE: yeh

cE: why not J

cE: itll be nice to get back into the swing of things and all :D

tW: knew you'd jam with me, dude. :D

tW: sooo…

tW: you're probably on a bus now, right?

tW: wanna relax and play some doomed with me?

cE: nahhhhhh

cE: hope you dont mind but i gotta let this all sink in

cE: ill be SURE to around with you a bit once ive arrived

cE: bb swear J

tW: bb swear? **really? **(annoyed)

cE: dude srsly do it

cE: for the team and all

tW: ugh…

tW: all RIGHT. bb swear. :D

cE: AWSUM

cE: welp imagonna catch some shuteye or somn

cE: seeya around dude ;D

tW: all right then, beast boy. see you later.

**chicksdigtheEars [cE] has left the chat.**

* * *

Beast Boy, confident in his chosen path, smiled to himself. Putting his bag on the window to use as a pillow, he pulled off his boots, lay down on the seat (face hanging down, of course,) and closed his eyes, anxious of the coming day.

* * *

tW: still, dude, I unno…

tW: lots of danger in jump…

tW: someone of your experience might not be able to handle it…

tW: meh. whatever. good luck.

**toddlyWonder [tW] has left the chat.**

* * *

Still sniffling to himself, Lewa rose and surveyed the mangled remains of his hut. It had been _ruined_. Ugh. He'd have to get it replaced, later…

If he ever came _back_, that is. The Air Toa was all set to pack his bags and leave New Atero; he just didn't feel like _leaving_. It all seemed too sudden to be real. His brothers and sister up and abandoning him like that, on his intentions…

A series of knocks interrupted his train of thought. "Come in," Lewa rasped.

The grating squeaking sound of the hut's door came into play but quickly diminished. Standing in front of him was a tall Toa with white armour, golden chest and armplates, and a brilliantly shining mask…

"Takanuva," Lewa noted. "You're _time-late_. What _took-_long?"

The novice Toa raised a hand in apology. "Sorry brother. I was a bit… preoccupied helping move Agoran to a shelter… Turaga's orders…"

"Agoran? _Really?_" The green Toa had to let out a laugh at that, an emotion that quickly vanished. "Wait… why'd you do _that?_"

"It was getting hard to refer to them both," Takanuva admitted with a chuckle. His mask hardened. "The Council believes Spherus Magna and its peoples are under threat of an alien invasion… why, I'm not exactly sure. Ackar says their leader's been babbling along about a 'Rotunda' or something. They've been bombing buildings looking for it," he finished, rubbing his head.

Lewa shot up at that. "_What? Hurt-bombing_? Have we done anything?"

Taka raised an eyebrow. "'We?' Wait, what happened to the others?" He began to panic, jumping around rapidly. "Were they not with you?"

The Spirit of Air's face fell. "They were… We got into a dark-fight," he remarked. "None of us… are close-working anymore.

"_Karz! _That's not going to be good… wait… Turaga Onewa had noted something about this. 'The noble warriors split into new paths,'" he recalled.

"Yeah, an apparent prophecy. I've heard." Lewa cleared his throat. "I'll speak-say it again, brother. Have we _done_ anything?"

Taka helped Lewa up. "Not immediately… we are to protect the Agoran and leave them be. Until they are done searching for whatever they require, anyway," he beamed. "Do you want to help?"

A Miru drooped in sadness… "I'd… rather not…" Tears began to fall again. "Wanted to take some time alone. To reflect on what I've done. You can call on me after something happens."

"You have no intention of fulfilling your duty?" Taka inquired.

"No, brother. Our unity has been broken. I don't think I'll be able to do _anything_ about my duty, not when my destiny is in the clouds, anyway…" Lewa sighed and gave his brother a weary fistbump, walking to the door. "I'll see you around, Toa of Light."

"As to you, Toa of Air," Taka returned as he raised his Light Scythe and sped off in a bright flash.

Lewa Nuva, Toa of Air- wait, was he Lewa _Nuva_ anymore? The team had broken up. He supposed he might as well be Lewa, Toa _Nuva_ of Air, but that didn't have the same ring to it- Oh well. He'd just be Lewa, Toa of Air then.

Anyways, Lewa, Toa of Air, exhaled in exhaustion and slumped down again. He didn't want to believe that such a threat could pull the planet in its grip, not after what happened with the Shadow Hunters… A few sniffles rang out over the desert. What had he gotten himself _into_?

Some sobs escaped his mouth before he realized it didn't matter. The Great Beings and _Turaga_ had declared them obsolete, anyway. Why didn't Taka know? Because he was late? Was the Toa entering a lost cause just because of an outside threat?

_Snrrk. _Lewa inhaled to remove some dermis fluid that had run down his mask. _Stop crying, you dolt, _he thought. _You'll get over this. Just do what you told Taka you'd do… _He perked. Yeah. Reflecting sounded like a good idea right now. The Toa couldn't exactly do it here, though…

_Wait. My Glatorian-brother and sister. _Smirking at the idea, he got up once again, turned on his jets, rose up into the air, and called the wind to fly him away.

* * *

The beeping had not stopped for a good five minutes. In that time, the Glatorian had stiffened up, met a golden brethren (his superior?), had a chat, left him to his own devices, and sat down a bit before flying off. H'ssiah had a very good chance to follow him, but the infernal device had _finally _got itself working. An image of the captured Glatorian, his assistant, and their captors appeared.

"_Speak_," he hissed.

"Woah! No need to get so uppity, boss," the smaller of the two replied. "We, uh… we just took these twos to a ridge near town. To wait for you and whatnot."

"Wait for _me?_" H' scowled. "Do you not realize you are working on your own accord? I told you to _wait_ because I did not want you to search for the Rutan'gah. Your cargo is… erm… to be seen as a threat. Yes."

"I'll show _you _a threat," an indiscriminate voice mumbled.

"_SILENCE!_" ssiah roared. "Well… it seems you are there now, anyway. What do you plan to do with the Glatorian?"

The two soldiers stayed silent. Then they gaped. The Lieutenant began to grow angry.

"I _said… _what do you plan to _DO?_"

"Uh… boss?" the larger responded.

"_What?_"

"There's another one comin'."

"What do you _mean_?"

"Yeah, that's what I told youse. There's another one comin'."

"_Who's_ 'comin''?"

"Another one of 'em. Those robot guys." The soldier squinted. "Flyin' heres, I think." He shivered, covering himself with his arms.. "Jeez. Wind's pickin' up. You feelin' the same thing?"

"I don't _care_ about the weather!" H' screamed. He froze. "Wait… another one? You meant to say another _Glatorian_, yes?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Well… _DO _something, you idiots! Make a move on it! See what it wants; _he_ _could be important!_"

The thinner troop gaped. "Important to the _monarchy_. The _Queen,_ you buffoon."

The alien perked. "Oh, yeahs, the Queenie!" He saluted, prompting his partner to do so as well. "We… uh… we're gonna wait and see what he does. Might not be dangerous, unlike these twos."

"We aren't 'dangerous'," Akhmou insisted. He received a slap on the back of the head.

ssiah licked his lips. "Might not be dangerous, you say?" He twirled his uniform's cape. "Very well then. Go find a way to make yourself known to the Glatorian _without_ making yourself _known._ And _don't_ screw this up," he insisted, holding up the communicator. "I am watching you."

"Sir, yes, sir!" The two yelled, saluting again. They ran off, seemingly forgetting to turn off their communicator. It took a while before the Glatorian did so himself. The Gordanian smiled a bit at that.

So now he knew that the Glatorian, even if they did not know anything about the Rutan'gah, still posed a threat; its severity was unknown. Perfect. He smirked and rallied his troops, having to bark a bit to get some of them away. "Follow me, men," he called and pointed in the distance. "We march to that ridge."

* * *

"This meeting will now come to order."

A gong sounded, and with it, a variety of people both from the former Matoran Universe and the three Magnas sat themselves on benches. A meeting of the Great Council was now in session, and for good reason too. It appeared that an alien being had found its way to Spherus Magna, and had attracted _another_ species right behind it, apparently looking for the thing. The Agori and Matoran had been hurriedly evacuated, but the Glatorian and Toa had apparently not been allowed to do anything, which some leaders had raised a fuss at. The gathering had apparently been called to alleviate their concerns.

Ackar, who was chosen to be head representative of the Glatorian, stood up and cleared his throat. "Hello, everyone," he began. "I trust you all know why we are here." A dull murmur started up, prompting him to fake a cough. "Please settle down. One of the Turaga knows more of what is behind all this. I am sure he will tell us. Vakama?"

The Turaga got up in tandem with the Glatorian's seating. "Thank you, Ackar. Gathered friends," he noted, gesturing to his audience. "Today we have learned that Spherus Magna is still not immune to great threat; as you are all aware, an extraterrestrial lifeform has landed on our surface, bringing extreme dangers in its wake. Many of you, I have found," he looked at the Great Being representative, Angonce, specifically, "believe that we are not equipped to deal with them, being that we are currently weak and useless. Many of you do not. I understand this, you must realize, but I would like to state at this moment that I side with the Great Beings on their decision. The Toa and Glatorian _must not fight_."

As expected, everyone gaped. Vakama rapped his firestaff on his desk to get their attention. "Do not be alarmed by this, brothers and sisters." He picked a small tablet up from inside a drawer. "A few days ago," he continued, holding it in the air, "a member of our group; a seer, you could say; found this text inscribed in the fires of truth. He thinks it is a prophecy, an indication of their destiny. I would read it myself, but Nokama thinks I must keep my mouth shut more often." He chuckled. "Therefore I will call him to the stand to tell us personally."

Turaga Nuju stood up, grabbed the tablet, and hobbled over to the bench, facial features obviously indicating a desire to not be here. He gripped the edge of the speaker's stand and glared at the crowd.

"_CCcckk wheee hiss beep clck,_" the Turaga started, but stopped when he saw his brother of earth gesturing him to close his mouth. The offer was accepted, but not before Nuju pouted incredulously.

"Forgive Turaga Nuju, friends," Vakama insisted. "Since our last battle with Velika he has decided to... _continue_ speaking in the tongue of birds. I seem to remember him having a new translator…"

A small blue shape popped out of existence with a _blip_ and fell down a bit, landing on the ice Turaga's head. Apologizing relentlessly, it scrambled off the Matatu before the man could fume any further. Noticing the many pairs of eyes focusing on her, it grinned sheepishly and took a place besides its apparent mentor.

"Sorry I was late, everyone," it spoke. The shape had a rough but feminine voice, a small stature, blue armour, glowing yellow eyes, and a blue 'bearded' mask not unlike Vakama's. To any random member of the Council, she would appear to be a simple being, chosen to be the Turaga's companion, but to the six beings themselves she was Macku, a Ga-Matoran who had been 'chosen' to become Nuju's translator after a group of Toa, Glatoran, and Agoran had defeated the malevolent Great Being Velika (To this day, Nokama still did not know how she had obtained the job.)

"Caught up with Kohlii practice," Macku clarified. "Say," she said, turning to Nuju, "wasn't there something you wanted to translate? Right now, I mean?" The Turaga began to redden. "Apologies," the Matoran continued, taking this as a sign to back off. Nuju sighed and began to speak again.

"_I saw a prophecy in the fires, as Vakama noted,_" Macku said through Nuju. "_I feel it is important. Let me tell you now._" He straightened his already highly arched back, an indication that whatever he was going to say was fairly serious. A few more murmurs rose up, quickly silenced by Ackar.

The Turaga coughed for a few moments before beginning.

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen: Renewal**

The night sky was a rich but dark shade of blue, brightened by two bright moons. A flock of Canyon Deer moved into a patch of forest to graze. The air, warm and damp, felt calming on Lewa's mask- although he wasn't at his intended destination quite yet.

It flickered into view as he thought of this, short and stocky yet imposing at the same time. Gamarrus Ridge had once been a training site for future on-call Glatorian, chosen for its location and geographical position; after the Reformation, Onua and a mining crew had cleared the compound out and transformed it into a site fit for the excavation of resources. It was here that he and Lewa had met to converse about the resurgence of the Bohrok and their eventual feelings; the Air Toa couldn't help but smile when he thought about it. A few months after, the crew had allowed visitors to scale the rim. The two visited it often, usually to share a few moments after reconstruction work, but Onua had eventually left to go survey… whatever he had been surveying, and Lewa had gotten caught up in the hassle with the Shadow Hunters. Coming here to relax shortly afterward, he had soon met two Glatorian with the same intentions and struck up a great friendship.

As he got closer to the ridge, the Toa was able to make out more of the rim, and noted that they appeared to be there right now; one tall teal green Glatorian with navy blue armour and a trident, and another, squatter, yellow Glatorian with forest green armour and what appeared to be daggers. Lewa could never really tell, but yes, that was them, alright. He dimmed the intensity of the wind and swooped in, using his Miru to control his fall.

Kiina parried another jab by Gresh about her social life and sighed inwardly. Life in the arena had been good as of late, with lots of action and glamour, but her teammate Tarix had seemed to be growing more… haggard. She wasn't sure why; in fact it seemed like all her opponents become like that without much of an explanation. Off the playing field, Berix and Gresh had steadily become annoying, almost to a breaking point. They had definitely been influenced, which led her to the last part of her gripe… the source hadn't been here. The Tajunan had been told he was hurt fighting Marendar, but she knew he wasn't _that_ fragile… none of the Toa were.

"Oh, come _on_, Gresh. Don't you have anything better to do than to ask me _another _Hot or Not question? Something interesting _had_ to have happened this past week."

"Aside from Fenix being a pain in the backside-posterior? Not much." He frowned. "What'd you _expect_, woman? Mata Nui didn't ever say anything about Spherus Magna being _entertaining-enjoyable_._"_

"Please _stop_ using tree-speak," Kiina groaned. "It doesn't work well on you at _all_. You're not a surfer."

"And _I'm_ pretty sure you're not a babbling maniac who shrieks in joy all the time," Gresh retorted. "'Woo-HOO!'" he mimicked, dancing around and screaming in mockery. His friend growled and reddened in shame.

A familiar feeling spared her pride, however. With a small sparking sound, the blowing winds began to slow, and a clanking noise sounded as what appeared to be boots hit the ground. Looking behind them, the two saw a lanky, lime-green armoured figure limping towards them, mask tilted upwards in a grin.

"Nice imitation, jungle-brother," the being intoned. "Really strike-focuses her joy-qualities."

"_Lewa!_"

Kiina _ran _up to the figure, gripping its neck in a hug. Confused for a minute, Lewa stared up before giving her one right back. "Great to see you too, Kiina," he murmured.

She growled again, pushed herself off him, and knelt down so that she could see his mask. "Don't you _ever_ do that again!" she yelled. "We were worried _sick_ about you!"

"Plus," Gresh added, "Kiina didn't exactly feel like talking about the perks of taming a Scarabax over and over again." The Glatorian shot daggers at him upon hearing this.

Lewa smirked. "Apologies. Think-guess you don't want me to quick-fight, then?"

Kiina frowned. "No, you _idiot_. We mean don't leave us hanging without a message for so long."

The Toa's mask fell. "Oh… that was not my fault. Ta…" He paused and put his head on Kiina's chest. "He told me not to get out of bed. For my own good."

"Could you not send a message through him?" the Tesaran inquired.

"Much-tried," Lewa answered, "but f… lead-brother is much-strict. He would not allow me to." He sighed and rubbed his mask on Kiina's armour a bit.

The female Glatorian stared bemusedly at this. Although she was primarily focused on fighting, Kiina knew enough about social relations to have a clue that something was not right. It was how she and Gresh had _met_ Lewa, in fact.

* * *

Here's Chapter Seven!

Before I get into the comments, I just wanted to mention that I've taken Danny Phantom hostage. He'll _never_ be able to star in your Hurt/Comfort fics unless I recieve some reviews as ransom. *evil laugh*

Anyways...

1. The chat between BB and Jason was _really_ fun to write. I'm assuming that the two had established a banter sometime before "X", which would explain why Beast Boy's so fixated on his identity being Jason Todd. *shrugs* Took a while to get down each person's quirks, but I think I did okay. (Yes, this _does_ take from Homestuck a bit. Sue me.) Jason's not Robin yet, if you're wondering.

3. Taka to the rescue! He wasn't with the Toa at the meeting because he's only an honorary Nuva and he'd probably be busy finding his _own_ destiny anyway. (Ooor fighting back the Gordanians. He could be doing that too.)

4. Lewa's in troooooubleeee...

5. The Agori chiefs and Turaga formed an alliance about a month or so after the Reformation, to try and keep relations from falling apart. Soon other races became interested, and those that were able decided to join. The enlargened alliance eventually needed a new room, and in the process of moving dubbed itself the Great Council. (It's not _quite_ related to the Agori-Matoran Confederation that was mentioned earlier.)

6. Macku is Nuju's new translator because... Eh. First Matoran that came to mind. It might make for some funny moments later on. (What do you think the prophecy's going to be?)

7. Gamarrus ridge is obviously the one that was seen in _Frustrations_ and I _think_ _Adaptations_. I'm not entirely sure. I made up most of the Spherus Magna stuff.

More fluff coming up shortly! Read and pay ransom! Heh. _Ransom._


	8. Collision

**Chapter Eight: Collision**

The two had decided to scale Gamaruss Ridge shortly after it was opened to the public, primarily out of competition but also out of a desire to get to know each other a little more. The first attempt was, predictably, a failure, but it had only motivated them to try harder. Over and over again, they had tried to reach the thing's summit, only to collapse due to a loose rock or a Scarabax attack or whatnot; at one point, they were a hair's-breadth away from the top but dramatically fell after a deep booming voice had startled them. When they finally _did _reach it, they had been surprised to find a strange warrior, evidently a Toa like Mata Nui. The even more surprising thing was that the Toa had been sitting there, cross-legged, deep in thought. How could he not be enjoying himself, Kiina had thought? The guy had been able to scale a treacherous landform all by himself, with no apparent support. That had to count for _something_.

Seemingly, it didn't. When Gresh walked up to the Toa and inquired him on his position, he had found that the being was _thinking_ about something. On what, he had inquired. Kiina remembered sighing, pushing her rival away, and sitting down with the warrior to find out what was wrong. It took a bit of pushing, especially on her part, but they had eventually found that the Toa's _kardin_ had recently left him. Boyfriend, Kiina had realized. She had gotten a bit uppity at that until the Toa, Lewa as he called himself, had assured her that there was nothing to worry about; his partner had only gone off to survey something mysterious, he recalled to them with a smile. That was one thing the Tajunan didn't understand about her friend, the _smiles_. Smirks, grins, beams, they were always there, sometimes lurking in the distance but more often than not straight in the foreground. How could he remain so _cheerful?_ The concept was enigmatic to the both of them.

Back to the story, Kiina heard. She grumbled and thought on. Lewa had sighed, smiled a bit, and invited them to join him in meditation; what better way to unwind after exertion with some rest, he had supposed? They had accepted his request and sat down on either side of the Toa, but the two quickly became uneasy and restless. Lewa had laughed, a sound that she'd constantly remembered, made a funny joke, and had offered to take them back to his hut for a snack. So they went.

The experience became somewhat of a routine; they would climb the ridge, meet the Toa, meditate together, and head to Lewa's hut to eat. Over time, the Glatorian quickly overcame her fear of the man, as she was sure he had. Eventually, he had decided to stop 'cut-cheating' (he had apparently been flying up to the top with mask powers, something which Kiina still could not comprehend,) and had wanted to accompany them on their treks, a request with Gresh was happy to provide. He had begun getting close to Lewa… a little too close, she remembered with a grumble, as he soon started using tree-speak, air beings' preferred method of speech. To say it was annoying was an understatement, but her otherworldly friend had persuaded her to deal with it, saying it was for his own good.

Time wore on, and the three began to bond fairly well. Lewa began relating his life story to them, as did Gresh; Kiina was reluctant, but eventually did so as well. They started hanging out at towns, mainly New Atero and Tajun but sometimes Tesara, and the Glatorian taught him to fight in their style. "Confusing," he had said, "but ever-fun." Kiina hated to admit it, but he had taught them something as well; it was cliché, but the Toa had somehow managed to thaw the holes in their hearts. It had to have been that optimism, Kiina gagged.

A time soon came when the group was inseparable. They went together, talked together, and did everything together, except those times when either species needed to tend to its own duties. Lewa began calling the rivals his "Glatorian-brother and sister," which Gresh had extrapolated to be a sign that he considered them friends. She had had to smile at that. It was sweet. What was even sweeter, Kiina knew, were those times when the Toa had poured himself out to them, let his usual emotions drop and talked at length about his personal issues. Normally, at that. The Glatorian started to joke about why that was, but stopped when she realized she couldn't talk; it had taken her a few _weeks_ to open up to him. He seemed to be rather accepting of her past, but she still felt ashamed to have acted so stupidly; whether he thought anything of this, Lewa did not show it. He trusted them; a bit too quickly, Kiina realized, but she had been very happy to have had a Toa other than Mata Nui, who could not really be considered one, in her line of friends. In her mind, they would've remained so forever.

Then the Great Beings had come into play, however. One, in fact. Velika, supervisor of the Matoran Universe Robot's Biological Sector, had once taken over a Matoran's body to see inside the thing for himself. When the robot had broken down, destroyed after having its head smashed open by Mata Nui in a prototype robot wielding a piece of the planet, he had gone insane, wishing to destroy the new "invaders" and reshape the universe. In an attempt to destroy a large source of power, he had gathered some members of a strange organization, the Order of Mata Nui, a literal god named Artakha, and a… Piraka named Vezon in a fortress and blown it up; he had also called upon assassins to kill some unscrupulous people. To make mattes worse, Marendar, a failsafe created by the Great Beings (seriously, how many failsafes did they _need_?) to kill off any rogue creations, had activated and gone on a rampage. It had taken the efforts of many Glatoran, Matoran, Agori, and Toa to take care of them both, among them Lewa; Kiina had known he was injured, but not to a degree where Tahu would not let him go outside all together. She groaned at the Toa of Fire's stubbornness.

The Glatoran sighed and took Lewa's head in her hands. "You okay, kiddo?"

He gawked at this before looking down and nodding.

She quickly picked him up, smiling at his imperiled laughs. "No, buddy, you're not. Gresh n' I are gonna do something about it, just you wait."

The Toa giggled. "Not… something you can quick-resolve… I'm sure…" It was all he could get out before she began to tickle him and he exploded. Smirking, she began walking to a cave opening and beckoned Gresh to follow her.

The Jungle Glatorian rushed up beside them and pouted. "What can we _do,_ Kiina? He said it himself, and I can _confirm _it. Tahu is very, _very_ strict. I'm not sure you'll be able to cajole him."

The Tajunan grinned as her helmet became obscured by darkness. "_I_'m sure, and I can, too. Watch and wait, Gresh. I've got this _all _under control."

"Whatever you say, sister," Gresh deadpanned before frowning as he too was swallowed up.

* * *

"_The noble six,_" Nuju started before a particularly vocal Skakdi began booing him. Ackar attempted to calm him, but he was acting too rowdy to be controlled. That is, until…

"**Shut up!**" Nuju called, speaking regularly again. "Thank you." He coughed again.

"_The noble six are at are at an end to their path,_

_Harshness and restraint tear it apart._

_Need not despair, as despite all this_

_An unfound treasure heralds a new start._

_The threads remain treacherous, filled with danger and spite_

_Yet also the virtues, with illustrious sheen_

_The hands of fate play a tumultuous game_

_One that is surely beneficial in means._"

The Turaga was about to sit down but was interrupted by tumultuous applause. Beside him, Whenua groaned. One of the things that the Bionicle just did not _get_ about their new comrades was the constant reward of actions- reward for succeeding in battle, reward for the sealing of an important deal, reward for killing a rogue Jungle Bull, even! It wasn't very logical to them; weren't these kind of things done out of sense? Ackar had convinced them to accept it, despite the lack of comprehension, so Nuju stood still and bowed a little bit. When the cheering died down, he sat for real.

Vakama piped up again. "That is all that we have heard. I have been able to decipher most of the prophecy's intended meaning, but I believe the more perceptive of you may have had different ideas." He gestured to the crowd. "Anyone?"

A green Av-Matoran with a Noble Miru raised his hand. "Could be about that League of Six Kingdoms thing," he commented.

"No," Vakama replied with a chuckle, "I would not think so. They have no reason to start their path over again. It would not work well for us _or _them."

"D'you think," a Sister Skrall asked, "it has somethin' to do with another team? Not these… New-vuh as we're all thinkin'?"

Nokama fielded the question "We are not aware of any other teams of six that fit such a prophecy." She froze then turned to Vakama. "Could it not be the Toa Hagah? Or Inika?"

"Never. They would not squabble the way the Toa Nuva have."

"_Could it be a bunch of slag_?" an old but creaky voice commented.

All heads in the room shot to its source, which appeared to be a senior Agori chief. "Ain't me!" He scowled at them and held up a cane in retaliation.

The voice laughed at this. "Up here," he mocked. The heads _and _the Agori tilted themselves up a bit, staring at the gigantic video screen.

"_You are all __**fools**__," _it chuckled. "All this time arguing, and you have yet to give us the one thing we want."

"The resources?" an Onu-Matoran inquired.

"The book you just ordered?" a Glatorian asked.

"The d-"

"_SILENCE!_" the voice boomed. "I cannot _believe _this. Surely you of all people have heard of the alien lifeform?"

"Yes," Vakama said. "But it does not seem to be doing any harm. Surely you have not been able to capture it yourselves?"

The voice groaned. "We _cannot_. The damn thing _killed one of our men! _It has the power to wipe out a whole city block!"

"Yet it has not kill-destroyed here-planet, no?"

"It _could! _It very well could!" It sighed. "You have just not seen it in action. Maybe seeing it will put things in perspective. Also, you talk funny."

"Hey!" Matau yelled.

The screen flickered on, and what seemed to be security camera footage was shown. A reptilian being was walking up to a cage, poking and prodding a girl. He continuously asked her for food or sustenance, much to her chagrin. Eventually she grew tired of this, exploded in anger, and destroyed the room, cutting off the video.

The audience stared at the screen, not sure how to react. The voice sighed again.

"Perhaps you will react differently with _my_ perspective," he screeched. "_Guards!_"

A squadron of reptiles like the one in the video marched into the view, firing guns that shot out ropes and using them to tie up random people. On the screen, a new video came into view, slowly darkening to reveal _another _reptile, grinning with glee.

"_H'ssiah!_" Ackar hissed.

"Ah, so you have heard of me, then? How so, Glatorian?"

"Word reached us," the Titan intoned. "Didn't seem to have reached _you_."

The lieutenant laughed. "Ah yes, so it has. Not. See what I did there?" Nuju began wheezing angrily, Macku too preoccupied to translate. "Oh shut up, crone. Nobody cares."

The Council gasped at this. H'ssiah smiled. "I have but one request, and one request _only_. _Bring me the girl, and nothing more._ If you do not?" He smirked, bringing a claw to his throat. "You know what will happen, I'm sure. What do you say?"

Everyone gaped, devoid of response. Finally, the seat behind the screen creaked a bit, the being occupying it getting up.

"I ain't sayin' nothing to _you!_" the Agori chief groused. Then he threw his cane to the screen.

_SMASH!_

It broke.

The sound of breaking glass exploded throughout the dome, and the screen sparked in damage. Again, nobody had much response to this. To utter silence, he walked around to the door and pulled a guard down to his helmet.

"Bomb what you may. I'm findin' the girl and keepin' her for _myself_. _Any objections_?"

The Gordanean panicked. "No, sir, not at all!"

He was quickly dropped. "Good, good, sonny," the chief cheered. "Now be a nice little lizard and clean up all this mess! I'll be waitin' for it when I get back." Then he left.

For the umpteenth time that night, none of the Councilmen had anything to say about this… except Nuju.

"What in Karzahni just _happened?_"

* * *

All had seemed well for Kory. She had planned to go out and greet the two men firmly, but a strong wind had ruined her intent. Then _another _man had flown in and begun talking to them, lime and apparently a good friend of the two. _Then _the blue man had picked the lime one up and walked with the green one into her cave. Squealing in fright, she shot up to the tunnel's ceiling, looking to find a way out of the thing that would not get her killed.

"Kiina-sister," Lewa managed to get out.

"Hmm?"

"Are we there yet?"

The Glatorian laughed at him. "_Pff!_ Keep calm, dude. We'll be there in a moment."

"He has an amazing-point, Kiina," Gresh noted. "It _has _been a forever-time. Are you completely-sure you are not random-erratic in the wrong-direction?"

The Toa slapped him. "Glatorian-friend is ever-right, brother. You need to stop-speak my tongue-language. It does not fit-work with you."

"But…"

Kiina palmed herself then beamed. "Doesn't matter anyway. We're here!"

The three stopped to look at their destination. From its structure, it appeared to be a cupola of some sort. Stalactites and stalagmites dotted the floor and ceiling, both rough and ragged with erosion. The air was heavy and moist, with drops of water periodically pattering on the ground. Flickers of crystals could be seen in the walls. In the distance, a small carved-out 'window' revealed a view of what was seemingly Roxtus, a city that the Toa had not been able to see yet. He could not help but gape, jaw wide open.

"Kiina… this is… amazing!" In his excitement, he hugged his friend on her neck.

She laughed. "Hey, don't get _too _aroused yet. This _isn't_ exactly why I brought you here."

Lewa frowned in confusion. "But this is pretty-nice! What else could there be?"

"Gresh," Kiina called. "Get me the creation."

The Toa thought about this for a moment. What could the two have created? They were Glatorian, warriors. There wasn't enough time for crafts in the arena."

His question was dispelled when the Tesaran returned, gingerly carrying a stone object. He sighed, embarrassed, and handed it over to Lewa before Kiina snatched it away.

"Check it out, Lewa," she breathed, feeling the thing. "We created this… abomination while you were recovering. Thought it'd make you feel better." Done examining the rock, she handed it to her friend, who _immediately _gasped in realization.

It was his axe. Not his _real _axe, as that thing had been mutated by Energized Protodermis into his Air Katana, those later traded to Artakha for his Air Sabre, but a replica; who really cared, though? _It was his axe._ They had really taken the time to create such a painstakingly accurate thing just because they supposed it would raise his spirits. He beamed and hugged Kiina and Gresh again.

"Thank you, thank you, _thank you! _This thing is great!"

Gresh chuckled. "Glad you… like it, even though it's so horribly forged…"

Lewa gasped in mock terror. "_Really? _I couldn't tell!" He began throwing the thing between his hands. "It's pretty damn faithful to the original. You guys go to someone for help?"

Kiina nervously laughed. "Eh… not really important who…"

The Toa pouted. "You had to've gone to _someone_. The only person I know of who knows its specs is Artakha, and he's not exactly _here_ right now, I think… How did you find him?"

"Uh… What about…"

He smiled. "Onua?"

The Tajunan smirked. "Yeah."

"Awesome." Lewa backflipped off of Kiina's shoulders and began swinging his new axe around. "Wanna test this thing out? Looks awfully sturdy…"

"I don't know," Gresh commented. "We don't know what the Turaga will say, or the Toa…"

"Skrall em'." Kiina pulled out her trident. "Aw, why not? Sure. I'll take you on," she finished, getting into a fighting stance.

Lewa grinned. "Oh, I'm sure you can…"

"Wanna bet?"

His anger riled, Lewa ran up to the Glatorian and swung.

* * *

**_CLANG. JANG. TSEER._**

The sounds of swordplay began reverberating in the distance. Koryand'r beamed. Finally, the men were doing something _interesting_! The exile began inching forward to the activity's location but stopped when she realized she still didn't want to be killed. Fearing for her head, she flew in silence, began perusing the ceiling, and finally a safe place to watch the beings and stay out of notice. The warrior grinned at the sight of the green and lime beings clashing their swords in ecstasy; these people knew how to fight!

* * *

A squadron of soldiers gathered on the side of a ridge. Banging noises were reverberating from the inside. H'ssiah had half a mind to do something about it, but his embarrassing loss to an Agori was still fresh in his thoughts. He recoiled at its very mentioning; a being like _him_, standing up to the Lieutenant and all but spitting in his face? It was demeaning. The monarchy would _have _to be informed…

_After _they captured the Rutan'gah, of course. H' called on his men to surround the ridge, hoping to catch of the glimpse of the Glatorian he had apparently been "warned" about.

* * *

**_CRCK._**

Trident and axe collided together in an inscrutable symphony before breaking to thunderous praise.

"Heh," Lewa panted. "I'm surprised this thing keep-holds." He stopped to breathe before slashing at his friend. "It's only stone, isn't it?"

"'_Only_ _stone_?'" Kiina gasped. "_Lewa! _This isn't no 'stone.'" She moved to block the Toa's harried attack. "We used our elemental powers and some of these crystals to harden it."

"Do I _want_ to know how that works?"

Gresh charged at Lewa with his daggers. "Not really, no."

They had been fighting like this for a good twenty minutes. All were satisfied, but most of all Lewa. This was the first serious sparring he had done since the final attack on Marendar, and he lovedit. Kiina and Gresh were two _very _capable opponents, able to challenge the Toa without giving him too much of an issue. Lewa had been so enthused with them that he had become completely absorbed in the bout.

So absorbed, in fact, that he didn't notice a large shape falling off of a nearby stalactite…

* * *

_X'hal!_ She was losing her grip!

Kory had been able to hang on to the stalactite for ten whole minutes. The exile thanked her father's physical _exercises_ for that. Unfortunately, though, all good things must come to an end, and the surface of the protrusion had been so damp that her hands were beginning to fall off. She cursed to herself; didn't fate know that she _didn't _want to reveal herself to these warriors just yet?

Wait.

Why should fate care?

Fate was the only reason the Gordanians had invaded Tamaran in the first place. Fate was the only reason her sister had traded her to them for her safety. Fate was the only reason the aliens' experiments had given her powers. Fate was the only reason she had been able to escape… and fate was the only reason she was here, in one piece at that. It knew what it was doing.

Koryand'r decided to listen to fate and let her body fall off the stalactite.

* * *

Kiina snarled and lunged at Lewa, trident gleaming in the light of the moon. Reacting instantly, the Toa instinctively leaped back, raising his axe in protection. The two weapons met with a loud _CLANG_, and the Toa was thrown back by the force. He pulled his defence out again but felt a drop of water hit his mask and groaned.

"Why do they even _put _these things here?" Lewa complained. "It's already-bad that Onua's koro-terrain is rough-dangerous, but the 'stalactices' I ever-see make that place look like Naho Bay. Not even kidding-"

He stared at Kiina and frowned. She didn't seem to be listening to him, eyes focused somewhere on the ceiling. "Hello? Kiina-sister?" The Toa waved his hands in her face. "You with me?"

"Mmhmm," she responded.

He turned to Gresh. "What's her listen-problem?"

"I think she's-" The Glatorian froze. "Look above you…"

Lewa tilted his head back, but couldn't seem to make out anything. He heard a small _whoosh _noise, though, like the wind was being pushed down- probably some odd new Rahi, now that he saw a black blob by it. Why was Kiina so engrossed in the thing, anyway?

"Don't think there's anything of interest up there-"

* * *

**_WHUMP._**

Fate was merciful. She had landed on something hard and metallic-like, possibly-

It rose. Uh oh. They had all seen her!

* * *

Lewa groaned and got back up on his feet with Gresh's help. A dull throbbing pain emanated from his back, causing him to touch it tenderly.

"You okay, brother?" Kiina asked, concerned for his safety.

"Yeah, I think so." He began to rub his back where he felt the most discomfort, hoping to ease the hurting. "What was that, anyway? Some sort of strange-Rahi-"

His fingers brushed over something that was definitely new to him. It appeared to be organic, with thick squishy flesh prominently covered by some sort of fabric and armour. Its limbs felt firm, probably containing muscle and bone inside. If he brushed hard enough on them, he could sense tiny hairs growing out of them like trees, and moving his hands up an adequate distance, he began to feel a whole bushel of the filmy things- what was that called, again? It reminded the Toa of the body feature that Kiina hid under her helmet-

Oh. A _MOP._

This was _DEFINITELY_ a scare-Rahi.

He _threw_ the creature off him, backflipped to reorient himself, _pulled _out his weapons, and _SCREAMED._

* * *

They heard the scream as though it had been produced by the seasoned vibration cords of a professional Krogun singer who had been wailing at a loud volume with a megahorn right in front of their ears. It was loud, high pitched, screechy, and _shrill_. Positively _revolting_.

H'ssiah had every right mind to go up to the source of this foolishness and _sock_it in the mouth; Rutan'gah or not, such a torrid creature could not be allowed to remain alive any longer. Gordanians are usually trustful enough of others to bare their ears in full view, but when someone disrespects this trust by violating the organs, as the vermin had done right now, they have every right to _tear_ the thing alive. He would _not _take this abomination's foolishness, _especially _after the thrashing he had just received from a Zorg-accursed _Agori!_

The Lieutenant trudged into the cave, ignorant of his fellow soldiers. They did not matter much, anyway. Being the seniormost member of the squadron, he had the right to deal with such offences himself. Besides, if the Rutan'gah _did _happen to be able to squeal like an actual girl, they would be better off waiting outside. No point in letting what took that one Private happen to them, no matter how stupid they were.

As he walked, the broken remains of his communicator transmitted a faint whisper of audio from the meeting he had hijacked. ssiah was too absorbed in his anger to pay much attention to it, but he kept one ear trained on it just in case.

"_Do you think…Toa…wa...alright?_"

"_Yes…the fires of… wisdom…they know… worry…_"

"_But… new-str… how-do…quick-fast?"_

"_Cc…kck…ckck…._"

"_What…crone…_"

"_…ry…He thinks…oka…too._"

"_That's…courag…need…alarm!_"

"_…eah!_"

"_I… Vakama…_"

"_As…said. Le…fine. The…hands of fate…o…not fail."_

* * *

Chapter Eight! _Now_ we're gettin' to the good stuff!

1. I can't be the only one who thinks Lewa and Kiina would be good friends. They're both confident, headstrong, and don't let anything get in their way, but are also quite sweet at the same time. Starfire is the same, but she technically hasn't _met_ them yet. :P

2. The Velika thing was extrapolated from information obtained in the serials and I'm not sure if the guy'd actually _attempt_ to do this in canon. Certainly seemed like he was shooting for it at the end there.

3. The prophecy Nuju recites pretty much sets the tone for the rest of the story. Make of that what you will. (The section at the end's pretty important, too.)

4. That Agori is a freakin' _hero_. God bless.

5. The customs on Spherus Magna are weird and I don't expect the Bionicle will get them easily. The Great Beings programmed them to be completely flat, after all.

6. FACE-FIRST FIRST MEETING! _That_ sounds dangerous. Also hey we get our first real Bionicle/TT character interaction how long has it been eight chapters?

Note: I don't plan to ship them. Unless you mean _friend_ship, in which case come here, you. Read and review!


	9. The Underground

**Chapter Nine: The Underground**

Koryand'r winced, holding back a scream. The warrior she had fell on had just… _groped_ her? And _thrown_ her back? And was now all but ready to _kill _her?

If this were a normal street on Tamaran, she would have _gladly_ returned the sentiment; commoners had _no_ right to do such a thing. Somehow, though… she couldn't. It seemed like the best option to take, but this _was_ an unknown warrior species, after all. Her _K'alforg_ had taught her to try and take other peoples' perspectives into account, to make for better solutions to problems. Right now, it looked like that strategy was very necessary. She silently thanked her mentor under her breath.

His breath racing faster than a jacked up Pohatu riding an angry Kikanalo, Lewa held his Midak Skyblaster at the Rahi, trying but failing to keep it steady; from the looks of things, it seemed _she _wanted to attack him too. That was a possibility he had to consider, but this _was _a Rahi; he couldn't attack the things like that! The Toa looked to his friends from advice, their emotions ranging from mixed (probably Gresh) to downright _angry_ (_definitely _Kiina.) He sighed. The Tesaran was a great companion, but her reactions to things didn't quite match up with his. _Better _not_ to take her side,_ Lewa mused, and dropped his Skyblaster and Air Sabre to the floor.

The Tamaranean looked the cyborg-like being over. _He_ was clad in bright lime-green armour for the most part, gunmetal covering his forearms, forelegs, feet and inner torso. Dark grey muscles coursed under small holes. The royal-type shoes gave way to a tall figure, carrying a long silver sword adorned in ornate patterns in one mechanical hand and a tiny blaster, also silver with some black coverings, in the other…

_CLANK. THUD._

Oh. He _had_ carried them. She smiled a bit. That was useful.

Resuming her perusal, the exile looked over the warrior's body one time, taking in every detail… then looked to his head and literally _freaked_.

It wasn't a _head_, per se. The man's neck, also composed of the strange grey material, moved up like normal, then stopped under some strange light grey _thing_… which looked like a robot's face, actually. Could this be a cyborg after all?

She caught herself in her panic. No. It couldn't be, _especially _not with what covered it…

A _mask._ A large metal mask, shaped almost like a leaf, with several intrusions much too complicated to describe in detail. Small holes revealed parts of the face, with two fans on the bottom. Covering the warrior's lime-green eyes were two large holes, enveloped in a strange blue material-

Crystal? Film?

It was hard to tell, but at the moment, it didn't really matter. The warrior didn't seem to want a fight _at all_. No… he actually looked like he wanted to _speak_. Kory froze, not sure of what to do.

The Toa scanned this strange new Rahi for interesting features. As he had felt before, she had rough organic skin, tinted in a strange hue of orange. (Was she a Glatorian? Lewa hesitated to ask.) Parts of her skin were covered in purplish-black armour, with what appeared to be fabric protecting her top and bottom, segmented shells on her arms and legs, and long rubber boots adorning her feet. He had to grin at that. The girl had good taste. (He _had to _know whether she was one of Kiina's species or not.)

Lewa took a moment to soak in the amount of detail, noticing the girl smiling at him. He could not help but smile back- and then he noticed her _face_.

This wasn't a Glatorian _at all_. She retained the orange complexion, yes, but her features were _different_. _Way_ too different. Her nose was long, turned up at the end. Her smile revealed a hint of white- teeth, he knew. Two floppy audio receptors- _ears_, the Toa supposed- hung off her face, and her eyes-

Those were the two weirdest features about her- her eyes, and her eye "_brows_". The optics seemed normal enough, tinted in a shade of green not unlike his, but they had actual irises, black and wide enough to take in the dim light. The hairy coverings above them-

Oh _spirits_, her _"eyebrows!"_ Truth be told, he'd only heard of the things through the _Glatorian's Guide_, but he had _never_ been fortunate enough to see them in person…

Well, there they were. Not much to say about them, really- orange-red, just like her long locks of hair (although those were obscured by a helmet…) but the 'do was standard fare. They were... abnormally shaped. Unlike the long, rectangular, rugged brows most fauna here seemed to possess, hers were small, squarish, and smooth. The Guide had _never _mentioned her type before. It _could've_ been inaccurate, and not detailed the _entirety _of the planet's wildlife… then again, though, the girls who wrote were _Glatorian. _They _would've_.

Which meant…

Oh, _WOW_.

_He was dealing with an alien. Another world. Another species. On Spherus Magna. EVERYTHING_ _Kiina had told him about. Right here, right now._

Not wanting to let his excitement get the better of him, and eager to make amends for his previous transgression, Lewa put out a hand in solidarity. "Hello," he said. "I… am Toa Lewa."

* * *

"_Entering C-01, Batman._"

Batman dragged himself out of the teleporter, falling numerous times in the process, walked to the Watchtower's meeting room, slumped into his seat, and moaned. He _really _didn't want to be here today. Ro… _Richard_'s recent departure had dampened the man's mood more than he could believe.

Not like he couldn't, though. Clark had called the meeting almost unexpectedly; so abruptly in fact that Bruce almost swore his friend was being mind controlled to do so.

To take his mind off the thought, Batman started to review the past few days. After the... _unfortunate_ loss of his _partner_ he had decided to continue fighting crime solo. It was what he had wanted to do in the first place... shame it took the loss of a Robin to get him to remember.

Times had been tough. Wayne had felt sluggish, unable to fight as well as he once had. Cases were becoming harder and harder to solve, a simple mind battle with Killer Moth being comparable to David and Goliath; and when he _did_ manage to take his mind off his ward and focus, he was brash, uncaring... _ruthless._ The thought scared him, and quite obviously Moth, who had fled off into the distance and all but embarassed Batman.

"_Recognize 0-4, Flash, The."_

"That's just_ The_-"

"_Recognize 0-3, Wonder Woman."_

"_Quiet, Barry._"

"_Recognize 0-5, Green Lantern."_

All that was about to change, however...

He had recently stumbled upon someone interesting. A person who Bruce honestly believed had the potential to do great things; had the potential to become a hero and had the potential an even better one than Richard. The potential to become a Robin.

The circumstances somewhat betrayed his discovery, though...

"_Recognize 0-6, Hawkgirl._"

"_Recognize 0-8, Aquaman._"

"_Recognize 0-7, Martian Manhunter._"

Batman stopped and looked up. The sounds of boots walking and what he could barely make out as _fighting _became noticable in the distance and quickly grew closer. A big, built-up shape appeared in the meeting room's doorway.

"_Recognize 0-2, Superman._ _All expected invitants recognized. Confirm?_"

"Looks like we have everyone," the shape intoned. "Do your worst."

That was Superman, all right. Things were about to shake up.

* * *

Malum was pretty sure these caves weren't even supposed to _exist._

The duo's captors had been dragging them around Spherus Magna, apparently looking for the girl the two had encountered; they had been taken to Gamarrus Ridge after lazing around in the dunes near Roxtus, and were now being led through the numerous tunnels that lined its underbelly- though, again, the Glatorian didn't know how some of them should have been there. It didn't make any logical sense- when _Mata Nui _had reformed the planet, he had apparently recreated it exactly how it was before the Shattering; why would he add any new features? He would've asked Akhmou or the imbeciles if they had any good reasoning, but... unfortunately, they were idiots.

The trip had consequently been very boring.

Until a reptile turned to him... of course.

"Hey, uh, robot," it drawled, "what do youse knows about this heres... 'Gluh-toa-rian?'" Its face contorted as it said this word, causing the Glatorian to wince.

He brought his face back to normal. "What do you mean? About me?"

The reptile chuckled. "Naah. I was talkin' abouts... uh... the other one. The limey guy. Flyin', I thinks. Secret cornvine say anythin' interesting on hims?"

Malum's eyes widened, and he grunted in anger. "Yes. That is probably... a..." He stopped himself. "Nevermind_._ What do you want with _him?_"

"He's s'posed to be our experiment, and alls. Boss says we need ta sees what's up with youse guys," his captor responded.

Akhmou attempted to chip in, but was quickly muffled by a grotesquely clawed hand. The reptile seemed to be pretty incensed with this. "_Hey!_" it yelled. "Why're youse not lettin' him talks?"

"He is a viable threat, Jone'z," the other robotically intoned. "We must not allow him to interfere."

"But you don't knows if he's gots any ideas on the Gl... roboman!"

The reptile sighed. "Nevertheless, my orders render him unable to speak. They cannot be overridden... 'punched in the guts,' in your tongue."

"I'll show youse '_punched in the guts!_'' Jone'z threatened.

"Your threats do not unhasten me," his partner continued. Cargo attemtpting to make noise again, he quickly moved to silence him.

"Go to the Lieutenants. See what he says. I'm sures he knows what he's doings."

The monotonic reptile grunted.

"Sm'ist. I hate youse. Go ta hell."

In the midst of their arguing, Malum attempted to break free, decision being quickly overruled by the waving of Jone'z's muscular arms. Akhmou had similar intentions, but was instead muffled by Sm'ist, frantically moving his hands in vain to free his mouth...

"IT'S A TOA!" he finally breathed.

Jone looked at him quizzically. "Whose?" Malum facepalmed.

"A Toa. Toa Lewa, to be exact. I'd tell you more about him, but he wasn't my patron and I wasn't really interested in his 'fanclub...'"

"I swear you just told me you tried to con the lot of 'em," the Glatorian mumbled.

The Matoran hissed. "_Shut up!_"

"Easy theres," 'z said. "Fanclub, huh? Sounds interestin'. I would've liked to joins it."

"Why would you not?" 'ist wondered.

Jone laughed, a deep rumble emanating from his chest. His partner fumed at this. "Heh. Youse gotta know abouts _that_."

"No, I don't."

He recieved a prompt slap on the back. "We're gonna kill hims, brotha!" Noticing the aliens' curious glares, he sighed. "Sorry, but them's the breaks. Citadel's pretty opens to scientific work in generals, and wese Gordanians _preeetty _much fits the part. It's whyse we're takin' the Tamaranean withs us, natch."

"No opinion on that," the two responded in unison.

Jone'z guffawed again. "_Hah!_ You twose musn'tve been peachies with hims, huh?"

Akhmou sighed. "Just _peachy._"

"That's what I saids. So," 'z continued, "what happened in particulars? Turf war? Gang dispute? _Love affair?_"

"No, nothing like _that!_" the Matoran gagged. "I just... didn't _like _him all that much. Too peppy and cheery for me... then I met Teridax, and he pretty much made me hate him in general. That tree-speak. _Ugh!_"

"This somethin' I shoulds investigate furthers?"

The villain put up his hands in protection. "No, no no! It's... fine! We don't even know where he is..."

"I was talkin' abouts that 'Teridax'," Jone grumbled. "_Yeesh._ What of youse, big guy?"

Malum frowned. "Not something I want to repeat..." He looked at Sm's malicious eyes. "Then again, I might not live to keep it a secret.

I met a Toa once," he began. "Not Toa Lewa. Sorry. I don't know anything about him.

He appeared in Vulcanus, shortly before a fight I was to have with an... opponent."

"Fight?"

"Nothing too interesting. Just to settle some disputes, is all. Anyway," he continued, "I was doing quite well, beating him into the ground. _I was so close_- to beating my rival, of course. Then the Toa came in." Malum grumbled in remembrance. "_Mata Nui_. I _hate _him."

"Wait..." the Po-Matoran gasped, "you met _Mata Nui?_ The Great Spirit himself? How? _Why?_"

"Nothin' interesting about it. He jumped into the playing field, kept me from killing him, ruined the match, my record, my reputation and career, kicked me out into the dark and unwielding desert, had Skrall _torture _me, and injured me gravely when a _piece of him fell on me_. Not any different from what you seem to've gone through."

The haughty Gordanian chuckled. "Doesn't look likes too manies of those Toa gets fanclubs."

"No... no it doesn't..." Malum finished. "Mata Nui was a haughty, naive, stuck up, brutish, and rude imbicile. I'm _glad_ he's gone now."

Akhmou put up a finger in correction. "You mean he's _sleeping _now_. _Locked up in that fancy little prison of his, leaving us all alone to fend for ourselves. _As always_."

Everyone chuckled at this, especially Sm'ist. He laughed the hardest.

Taking a moment to wipe tears of joy off his face, he quickly stiffened in an act of elegance. "It would appear this sector is much more interesting than we had previously thought. Quite the shame our Lieutenant does not seem to think the similarly."

_SLAP!_ "That's H'ssiah for youse," Jone'z chuckled, taking pride in his partner's fear. "'Too curious of the world around him to know, but too ingrained in old traditions to care. Nighty night, my friends!' Resembles the Kas'tern Toubea'm more than I'd thought."

Malum frowned. "Should I know who this is?"

"Oh yeah, youse should!" The Gordanian picked the Glatorian up and gingerly set him down on his scaled shoulder. "See, the Kas'tern Toubea'm is an olds _pa'nems _character. Started ins 11043 afters this fanatical guy, 'Ytupierz, lefts the army and drews a picture of a Gordanean Toubea'm- _WHOA!_"

He stopped walking and tilted his head up, gaping in wonder. The Vulcanusian attempted to rouse him, but was unsuccessful when he did so as well.

"Um, guys?" the Po-Matoran asked. "You okay...?"

He looked to where his companion and his captor were fixated and gasped, jaw wide open. His mouth flapped, but not a single sound other than ragged breathing came out.

The reason they had stopped? The tunnel the group had been walking through had suddenly finished. They were now in a large cylical rotunda, seemingly a chapel or meeting hall by its various murals and drawings (well, it'd _been _one, anyway. Any clear evidence had eroded into nothingness with time.) A clear window on its top let in a bountiful amount of light, filtered with stones that made colours dance on the ragged floor. Many torches lined the wall, providing what appeared to be anxiliary light; a large slab of stone, glowing a faint red, lay in its center. And to the side, by a painting which illustrated the coming of a strange robot, a flashing metal door saddled up in a corner, trying to act inconspicous.

It didn't do a very good job, though. Akhmou spotted its silvery glint immediately, _jumping_ out of his captor's arms (and kicking them for good measure,) and ran over to the thing, gazing at the device in awe.

Sm' was quick to run after him. "_Get back here!_" he screeched. Before he took another step, however, he was unfortunate enough to trip over a raised portion of the floor and tripped, thankfully being caught by a considerate savior- the _Glatorian._ He hissed and flashed his forked tongue at him, even while knowing the gesture would not phase him.

"Sorry about that." Malum apologized. "Couldn't have you stomping around and ruining everything here."

"But your ally- _Jone'z!_"

The Gordanian shrugged. "He asked mes nicely. Better than anythings _you've _ever dones."

Jogging up to the Matoran, the portly alien stopped, gazing at the contraption in curiosity.

"...whats _is _this thing, anyway?"

"I do not know," ist glowered. "_My circumstances mean I cannot quite see for myself right now._" Malum was quick to apologize. "Army regulations advise you stay away from it, however. We are not aware of its properties. One wrong move and you could be-"

'z guffawed. "Don't _worries_, my man! I'll be outs quicks as a Rutan'gahs- provided I knows whats this is, of course..."

"I am only interested in your safety," Sm'ist simmered. "I _care _for you-"

"I-I-_I think I know what this is!_"

Everyone turned to Malum. "You _do?_"

"_But you never know _anything_!_"

He walked up to the corner, stopping hesitantly upon seeing the glow. "Yeah, I do!" His head turned to the others. "These tunnels we've been traversing were created a _long _time ago, after the end of the last ice age brought great change to our planet."

Akhmou looked at him suspiciously. "Sot?"

He immediately recieved a slap. "_Quiet._ The melting icepack saturated the land and created great rifts, but it also burrowed great holes in the ground as it was pulled in. I am assuming both factors were what inspired the- _they_- to come here."

"Who are '_they_?'" Sm'ist inquired.

Malum sighed. "They were big on 'creation,' their minds filled with ideas and passion and all other sorts of things. When they first landed on Spherus Magna, and I know this for a fact..." Here he visibly slumped. "They came into my village. Vulcanus. They needed a place to rest. We happily provided one for them, interested in what they might have brought.

The lot of 'em stayed in bed the whole night... I don't exactly remember why, I think they were having night terrors or the like. Anyways, this one person, a tall guy in robes, came up to me in the morning, after breakfast, noticing me slumped on the ground. (I used to do that a lot.) He pulled me up on my feet, knelt down, and took off the hood of his robe, smiling at me. Jeez. _That face._ I can't even remember it too well now, but looking back, it was honestly quite gorgeous.

He asked me what I was doing, head in the sand, uninterested in playing with my friends. I told him I didn't care much for what they were doing. He retorted that if maybe I asked them to do something else, they might want to join in with me.

I told him they'd bullied me, pushed me around, insulted me for my habits. He asked me what. I said I enjoyed building things with rocks, plotting out vast villages and towns and destroying them with my 'mighty powers.' I said they didn't seem to want much to do with that.

He pulled me aside. And frowned, then smiled even bigger. And he took me into his arms and hugged me tightly.

Then he ruffled his robe, looking around for something. He took out a... small... golden brick, I think. He presented it to me and told me something I've never forgotten to this day...

'You must never care much for the misery of others, for it will do naught but to break you down. Instead, be your own. Care for yourself.'

Then he grasped the brick and my hands and finished, 'If you are to play, then play _well_.'"

The group balked.

"I faintly recall him patting my back and walking away afterwards," the Glatorian mused. "I'm not entirely sure."

Jone' sniffled. "Thats was... thats was... thats was _amazings_!"

Akhmou's reaction was less emotional, however. "And that was necessary... _how?_" Sm' nodded in agreement.

Malum glared at the two. "The... great being, Velika if I remember correctly, became my best friend. I didn't have much else to do, beside playing make believe."

"_Seem to be pretty into make believe right now_." _SLAP._

"We started off simple. When he had the time (he was usually off surveying,) the two of us would sit down together and mess around with my stones. He helped me refine my storytelling abilities and a little bit of my anger as well." The Glatorian chuckled softly.

"I kind of grew out of that out of a while... got into Kazi fighting. Just regular fighting, but with more action. Velika would hang around a bit and watch me perform, but it got old for him too. As it did for I. I still have a scar on my left arm.

When my friend's people implemented a system of education, I was _overjoyed._ A chance to learn a culture _and _preen yourself for marriage? It was every kid's dream. Little me took the chance as soon as I could... Velika became my teacher, of course," he grinned. "Man knew a lot more than he let on. He was _very_ cryptic. Always used to tell my class riddles with bizarre meanings and morals. He helped me out with bullies a lot, too; ended up being very useful.

I assume you're not to interested in school life, so I'll cut to the chase... I eventually grew up, again, and 'graduated' with honours. Not too many, though. I never really put much effort into anything besides that one class. Too boring. I liked Kazi fighting a lot more.

After I left school, I was basically in the same position as I was before; alone and in my own thing. I would've joined Velika at this point, but I was afraid he wouldn't allow me to interfere. _As you can guess_, I learned otherwise.

Velika caught me outside the village hall, gazing into the stars. I don't recall why he was there, but I'm going to assume he was helping my people survey. Spherus Magna is a big planet.

He was obviously very upset with me, seeing me lazing around uninterested. What's up? he asked. Was something on my mind?

I told him I didn't have _something _of _anything_. There was nothing for me to get into besides Kazi fighting, and back then, the sport wasn't as big. I could do naught but hunt, lie around, and mate.

He told me that was stupid. Plain and simple. I'd had creativity, hadn't I? Couldn't I come up with an occupation myself? I _did _have a golden brick, after all.

I told him bricks didn't do much in this society.

He told me to 'screw em and do what I wanted... I told him I was interested in rocks, but I wasn't allowed to do much with that.

Velika told me he was accompanying a Glatorian named Ackar and his group of friends on an expedition to map the caves under Vulcanus, and did I maybe want to come along?"

Malum laughed. "You can guess what I chose.

We ended up going down there and doing what we came for. A lot was mapped. Adventures were had. I struck a... friendship... with Ackar and some of his pals. It was an innovation for me, I suppose. My parents had always been pretty isolative in general.

It took us... about 1,000 years, I think, to map Vulcanus's underground alone. Tough and tumultous work, but everyone liked it, most so myself. I ended up going with Velika, Ackar, and his posse on _more_ expeditions; 4,000 years later, we had only mapped 10% of the planet, and only stopped because we were _bored_. Can you believe it? A Glatorian, bored? It happens."

"You are not doing much to dispel the Lieutenant's apparent stereotype."

"Yes, so I am," Malum retorted.

"By the time we were finished, Vulcanus had grown. A _civilization _had grown. Velika's people did much to further our livelihood. If I remember properly, they had actually built us roads and _cars_. We'd never had _those_ before! They were great, truly. Benefits for everyone. I ended up moving to a complex with Ackar and stayed there for another 5,000 years... he kicked me out. I ended up finding a wife. _I did! _What's so hard to believe about that?

She was beautiful... not going to lie. An angel sent from the heavens. I wanted to partner up with her immediately, but there was a bit of a scuffle in deciding who would do so..." He winced. "I fought with Ackar. Not fun. He got over it, though.

We moved into our own hut, near my old one in a new park; had babies. I was hired by an Agori building firm, who had apparently heard of my exploits with the surveying team and wanted me on board to help them. I couldn't really say no; Glatorian have a desire to win, after all.

I was in it for a long time, at least 40,000 years, rising up in the firm and building my family with my wife along the way. My friend remained in the sidelines, but he was right there to help when I needed him... he had to help babysit, once. Oh _slag_, was that _funny_. I can still remember his disgust over my kids' habits, and the disgruntled riddle he gave me over them.

Eventually, though... things changed. They always do. Velika's people retreated from their positions, holing themselves up into a fortress to do 'science.' We were left to do what we wanted. I think a lot of people took issue with that; seemed strange that they stayed there and wouldn't budge. But they did... which meant we were free to find Energized Protodermis."

* * *

Chapter Ten!

Most of this chapter is an interlude, so I'll let it speak for itself. Mostly.

1. The two aliens feeling eachother up... Does that sound a bit vulgar? I don't know. Hope it gets you all excited.

2. The Justice League scene is new (it takes from the show,) but the events themselves actually happened in the comic... not _quite_ the same as here, though.

3. No idea where Malum's backstory came from. It just seemed to work well and it also gives a bit of insight into Pre-Shattering Spherus Magna.

Read and review! (Also throw me a small tip, will ya?)


	10. First Contact

**Chapter Nine: First Contact**

The glow flickered, and the door slowly began to waver, image distorting somewhat.

"Uh, roboman?" 'z asked. "What's happenin' heres?"

"Perception filter," Malum responded. "I _told _you I I knew what was going on here.

Ah... Energized Protodermis; EP, as some kids used to call it. Its discovery was so _magnificent_ that it brought the Gr- _them_ out of their hideyhole for the first time in _years_- something around 10,000 years. The thing became a masterpiece after they figured out how to manipulate it to create anything they desired. Protodermis became a pop culture phenomenon. _Everyone_ wanted some, and at first, they did. But greed gets one nowhere in the end...

As it did, soon enough. People began to fight _over_ Protodermis. Supplies dwindled, and most of the remaining stock was taken into the fortress, expanded into a huge valley. The Maze, news termed it. Bit of a tricky thing to understand. Not like anyone did; they were _fighting_, after all! Sometimes violently! The whole thing was horrible, I tell you. The Bei- they took action. Using what little Protodermis they were able to scrounge, a group of robots dubbed the Element Lords and assassins, Battera, were made, created in hopes of stopping the conflict or at least quelling it.

They didn't.

We went to war, basically. Element Lord against Element Lord, faction against faction. I was called up to fight with the Lord of Fire, who quickly told his men that he would _not_ take no for an answer, shoving us into training and stopping us long enough to throw armour and weapons in our faces.

The armoury was the last time I met Velika. I will tell you that right now. I'm being too sappy as is.

_A group of his people were building armour with Protodermis, trying to find a way to make a way to make us last longer and go stronger. It was tough business, but I am pretty sure it worked. I was one of the last few called in to have it put on. I walked into the armoury- and wouldn't you know it, there my friend stood... Things had been somewhat unkind for him in the last 1,000 decades. After he retreated into the Valley of the Maze, some of his higher compatriots had reprimanded him for such close contact with others. They felt it wasn't necessary. I can't blame them; they didn't though. He had been sentenced to work in the field for his troubles, and it showed in his face._

_Velika took me in his arms and smiled again, hugging me. 'It seems time has treated you kindly,' he beamed._

_'Yeah, well, you're not one to talk,' I retorted. 'Seems to've barely had an effect on you at all.' It was true; he hadn't aged at all in the last 60,000 years, or the aging was too insignificant to notice. I don't know. I had quite a bit, my skin wrinkling and my strength a bit unnerved by middle age._

_My friend smiled. 'That is the power of higher technology, brother.' He walked over to a cabinet. 'Now, on the topic of armour...'_

_'You're going to put it on me, right?'_

_Velika frowned, pulling out a drill. 'Not... really... I must apologize, Malum. Take a seat. The process... is not as simple as you might think. I must... graft... the armour onto you. In you!' He grinned wistfully. 'It will aid greatly in your battles against the other factions, I am sure, but reward always requires great cost.' Pushing me down into a chair, he sighed. 'The price for war is quite high, I am afraid... to tell you the truth, I don't know why we're not doing anything. I feel it's as if the council wants you to die.'_

_'They wouldn't. They really like us.'_

_'Yes, of course... but we have never interfered too much. It is too costly and too morally demanding, so I have heard. I fear we must take matters into our own hands sooner or later.'_

_'You can't do anything yourself?'_

_Velika's face fell, hood crumpling a bit. 'Unfortunately not. This war has gone too far for that. Thankfully,' he lightened up a bit, 'we have been building a new gateway! The hopeful end to all this tomfoolery! The answer to the question! The light at the end of the tunnel-'_

_'Velika?' I inquired._

_'Sorry. I do not know if I can tell you...'_

_I smiled grimly. 'I'm probably going to take it to my grave. Might as well.'_

_'All right then,' he began. 'The Higher Council has proposed... a new robot, one that will allow us to fix the conflicts and take steps to prevent future ones. It will, when it is done, be able to compute legible solutions and create situations that enable it to take loopholes to get around them. We have created many smaller robots, failsafes that will protect the robot when necessary, and we have created many smaller robots to be protected, and we have made so many failsafes-"_

_'Velika!'_

_My friend turned to me. 'Yes?'_

_'You're losing me. More to the point, please?'_

_He flushed. 'Ah, yes, certainly. This robot... will be the leader. The guide to a newer, better, more productive future for us all..._

_A great spirit. Mata Nui.'"_

* * *

The kiss was unexpected.

When Lewa had first heard of the existence of aliens- creatures from different worlds, much unlike the ones he and the Toa were familiar with, he'd imagined first contact with them to go one of three ways- a quick scoffing before instant vaporization, an abduction to be experimented on or probed, or tenuous flirting leading into a possible romantic advance. Kissing was _not _on that list. It had come way too soon, too early to be real; in fact, it almost seemed _criminal_.

But no; so she had. Seemingly ignoring the Toa's offer, the lifeform had taken a step towards him, _flung _onto his chest, and planted a sucker right onto his mask. Lewa could do naught but blush, helpless as to what was going on; thankfully, the situation quickly eased, the girl jumping off of him and returning to her previous place one step away.

She giggled, pearly tones escaping onto the rocky wall above her. "My apologies for the ignoring you," the alien began. "I merely needed to do the kiss on you in order to learn your language. Could you say that again?"

Flustered beyond belief, the Toa quickly turned to his friends for advice, receiving confused glances in return. Turning to the stranger, he was only able to let out a timid whisper in reply, a far cry from his usual loud yelling.

"Um… my name is Lewa. Sorry for the scuffle back there." He covered his forehead in embarrassment. "I didn't… know exactly what you were. You don't have to forgive me- _GAK!_"

Any further response was quickly muffled, as Lewa found himself swept up in a tight hug, the girl's face pressed up close to his armour. Surprisingly, he could _not _breathe; her embrace was crushing his chest! What a surprise! Even more surprising was her response; "Oh, _friend!_" she squealed. "Of _course_ I will the forgive you! Anyone who is the willing to be dropping her weapons like that _deserves_ the second chance."

The Toa gawked, both in bewilderment and from a lack of air. "Really? That… easily?"

His assailant only hugged him harder. "Yes!" She soon frowned confusedly. "You… are not doing the same with your people?"

"Well," Lewa gasped, "I… don't know… much about these… people…" He nudged Kiina, who had been frozen the entire time, the Glatorian looking around quickly.

"Um… What?" She gazed at Gresh, who did nothing, then Lewa, who indicated his condition and the person giving it. Her eyes widened, then narrowed, smoke beginning to waft off her armour.

"You… you… you…"

Everyone gaped, most of all Kory.

* * *

"The thing was a robot," Malum finally sighed, "designed to repair the planet. As you know, it didn't."

"We _don't_," the Corporal hissed.

"Ah," the Glatorian scoffed, "of _course_ you don't!" His face darkened. "Spherus Magna was destroyed when its core exploded, in an event called the Shattering. Horrible event. It was a good thing I survived."

Sm'ist's partner quickly contained him. "But… whats of Velika?"

Malum gazed to the wall in remembrance. "He did okay. Implanted my armour on me then left. Again, horrible event, but well worth the pain. It's done me well for the time I've had it. The Great B- he knew what he was doing."

"Didn't Velika go into the robot?" Akhmou asked. "I seem to remember him… _wait… _WHAT WAS THE _POINT_ OF THAT STORY?"

_SLAP._

"I'm _getting there. _Anyways..." the Glatorian continued, "yes, Akhmou, you're right. He'd told me he wanted to see what his creations were up to, given that they had A.I. and all… didn't expect the man to actually _do _it."

"But he _did_."

"Yeah… so he did. A shame he had to go that way, though. Toa's attacks are very painful, and I only had to take on _one!_"

Jone'z yawned. "Kid's right, roboman. We's gettin' to a point yet?"

"Yes… we are." Malum frowned. "Look… Velika was a smart man. He _very_ much knew what he was doing. The- Beings wouldn't have recruited him if he hadn't."

"So?"

Sm'ist _grabbed_ Akhmou by a ridge in his armour and bared his fangs menacingly.

"Stop this cheekiness _now_."

The Po-Matoran whimpered. "Y… yes… sir!"

"The conman _does _have a point, Glatorian," the Gordanian sighed. "What did that diatribe even _entail_?"

"Velika wasn't just smart, he was _daft. _He liked to invent a lot of things with the scraps he found on his travels. Do you recall why he gave me that gold brick?"

"Yeahs, but-"

"I used it in my armour. It became a centerpiece. I think I _still _have it today."

Malum walked up to the door, which had by now flickered and faded entirely to reveal… a small, circular pool, glowing silvery liquids flowing inside.

He slowly turned around to the others and shook his head. "Velika was a Great Being. Like others of his species, he liked to build and create using various sources, and this pool of protodermis… was among them."

Akhmou gasped. "But that means-"

"Yes, Akhmou. He used this to experiment with new toys, robots if you will. I know this for a fact, because he told me. This…

This was Velika's lab. He would make new life here. I don't know _why _we've found it."

* * *

H'ssiah kept walking. The sounds grew louder. Correspondingly, his anger grew as well.

He was about to punch a Locrix in rage; thankfully, it was saved by the annoying, moaning beeping of his communicator.

"What."

"Sir! Youse won'ts believe what we'ves found!"

"I don't _care._"

"But-!"

"Don't test my _patience_."

"I won't-"

"Forgive my _compatriot, _H'. What he _means _to say is that we have unearthed something very… _interesting_."

The Gordanian's mood lessened; just a bit, though. He had to keep _some _emotion for the rutan'gah.

"And…" he said, now curious, "what might _that be?_"

"A _substance,_" the communicator buzzed. "_Protodermis._ It has very valuable properties, and I am _certain _it will interest you-"

"The rutan'gah."

"It will aid us greatly in battle-"

"The _rutan'gah_."

"It will allow us to capture her more efficiently-"

"_The rutan-_"

"_Sir!_"

"_Don't test MY PATIENCE!_"

The buzz dimmed to a rumble. "Yes… _sir._ Just know that it may be helpful to mark this planet down, for future reference… both for the Protodermis and some… _other _reasons." Blip.

"Yes," H'ssiah grumbled, "good _reasons_. Good reasons _my foot_." He trudged on, still very much steaming.

* * *

_"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!_"

"Wait," the being said, "what is to be the unbelieved?"

Gresh sighed. "I think she means that she doesn't think you should-"

"WHY WOULD YOU _TAKE _SO LONG?" Kiina roared. "IT'S BEEN TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND _FREAKIN' _YEARS! You could have come at _any _other time, any time at all, and you pick _NOW_?"

"Uh…"

The exile's inquiry apparently went unheard, as she was soon lifted up in her _own_ hug. The Glatorian began to sob, tears wetting the girls' armour. "I don't- I don't _believe _it! You're here- you're finally finally here- but why _now?_"

Lewa was very quickly running out of oxygen, but he was quick to offer his opinion. "Don't you… think… Mata… Nui… was an-"

"Lewa?"

It was no use. He had fainted.

Kory quickly held him closer to her, now sobbing as well. "Oh, _friend!_ Lewa! Forgive me for my transgressions! I was unknowing that my gesture would cause much of the harm-"

"Girl. Alien."

She turned to the Tesaran. "Yes?"

"Put him down. I don't think he could… handle that much hugging, strange as it may seem."

"Oh!" Her expression brightened. "Of course! I am confused as to why he was not the telling me earlier…"

Dropped on the ground with a _whump_, the Toa quickly gained consciousness. "Ugh," he groaned. "Thanks. Was kinda out of breath there. Like I was saying," he continued, swatting Kory away, "don't you think Mata Nui was an alien? Or me, for that matter? We _did _technically come from another world, after all…"

"Nah," Kiina scoffed. "The Great _Beings_-" she put extra emphasis on that word- "based you off of us, elemental powers and all. Plus, Mata Nui was made in the Valley, from Protodermis found here. You don't really count."

"You don't think my behaviours are alien?"

She ruffled his mask. "Sorry, junior, but as far as I'm concerned, you're really not." Turning to the alien, she resumed her inquiry. "Why're you here, anyway?"

Kory quickly paled, slumping over in sadness. "Um… I was not the _supposed _to be here. The Gordanians captured me as the slave. A _rutan'gah_," she spat. The others gasped. "They wish for me to live out my days in servitude. I will not allow it. That is why I did the escaping, you see."

"That's pretty courageous," Gresh remarked. "Any reason why you came _here_, specifically?"

"It was the closest planet to their ship, and I did not want to be risking myself flying any farther out-"

He sighed. "No, why did you come _here_? To the ridge? It can't have been by luck. Nobody really knows of this place."

"Oh!" The alien perked. "I was the informed of this location by a brave warrior and his friend. They told me it would be a good place to stay."

"Brave… warrior? Any details?"

"Yes, he gave me many of the details. It was a place he did the discovering of recently, near the city of 'New Atero', and he says that it might not have been the good idea telling me of it-"

"_WHAT DOES HE LOOK LIKE?_" Kiina screeched.

Kory frowned. "There is no need to be the rude. It does not seem the proper of-" She sighed. "Ah, I suppose I will tell you. I was not able to get much of the description of him- from what I can remember, he was tall and red, and his companion was short and brown and was called Akh…mou-"

"_Malum!_"

"_Akhmou!_" Lewa growled. "Wait… you ran into _him_? That's pretty serendipitous! Last I heard of those two they hadn't wanted to meet up with anyone. Why would you ask _them_ for advice."

"Er… they were the only two I had the access to at that moment?"

"Oh." He chuckled. "Understandable. I would've too."

Kiina walked to the window, looking at the trio in confusion. "So, now that you're here… what're you gonna do? Hide here until the Sand Stalkers come home?"

"Only for the little while," the alien replied. "I had planned to go back to Tamaran, my planet, and confront my sister, Komand'r- she is the one who has gotten me into the mess. Sadly, I have not an idea where Tamaran _is_, and if I will even be able to be the _geting_ there-"

"You could always go down to New Atero and speak with the Turaga and Dune," Gresh commented.

Kory gazed out the window. "But… the Akmou, or the Malum, told me I could not? He said it would be too much of the dangerous, and frankly, I am disposed to do the believing of him." She willed two starbolts into being, bathing the cave in neon green light. "These powers were… _gifted_ to me by the Gordanians, and I do not know if I can do the controlling of them well. Truly, it would be the nice if I could, but I would not want to put anyone in the danger…" A quiet breath tickled Lewa's mask.

He put a hand on her in a calming manner. "Don't worry, um… Glatorian? I never actually got your name…"

"Oh, please be the forgiving!" Kory squealed. "I am Koryand'r of Tamaran, though I am not sure that is the applying now. My sister has effectively booted me out of the Royal House. I am not… a Glatorian though. Just a Tamaranean."

The others gawped. "Um… you do not understand?"

"It's not a name we've ever heard before," Gresh remarked. "Most are usually a lot simpler, so I don't know if it would work in Agori…"

"_Ta-Inika!_"

Everyone's eyes were on Lewa now.

"What?"

"Yeah, Ta-Inika. Or Tanika, for short. The fiery energies of a star…" he dropped his head, "or at least that's what I picked up…"

It did not matter, as he was quickly pulled into a bone-crushing hug. "Um- can't… breathe!"

"The apologies!" The alien… Tanika loosened her hold. "That is amazing! _Tanika_…" she giggled. "It works the well. I think I would like to use it! It is just… I was supposing it would be Starfire. But that does not the matter."

"Cool," Gresh said. "Nice to meet you, Tanika."

Kiina waved. "Hey."

"I guess it's nice to meet you too," Lewa grinned, putting up a fist in excitement.

"Excuse me… but what is _that_ supposed to mean?"

The Toa looked at his hand in confusion. "Oh? It's a fist bump. A gesture of camaderie and brotherhood… or sisterhood, really."

"Then I shall gladly be returning the gesture!"

**_POW!_**

Tanika gazed at the floor and was surprised to see her friend there, lime hand writhing in pain.

"Oh, _friend! _Did I hurt you? Forgive me, I am not quite the sure of my own strength myself…"

Lewa limped into a standing position, keeping his hand away from the floor. "It's okay. Just… _ow! _Try not to be so forceful next time…"

She saddled up to him and put _her_ hand on him. "Like I was saying… don't worry, Tanika-sister. We're Toa-hero and Glatorian-warriors. We know what we're doing, and I'm _sure_ we'll be able to cheer-help. Right, guys?"

"_Right_!"

"Oh… thank you, thank you, _thank you_!"

This time, _all_ _three_ of them were swept into Tanika's embrace. The louder complaints did not seem to peturb her, however.

"Kinda… breath-"

"Are you well, friends?"

No answer. They had fallen unconscious. The girl quickly set them down.

"Sorry… I did not notice."

"That's okay," Kiina gasped. "What now, you two? Should we take her out of this grimy place and into the paradise that is Spherus Magna?"

Gresh gave his approval. "Sounds good to me."

"As to me. Wait!" Lewa stiffened. "Do the… Gordanians know where you are?"

"I would not do the supposing," Tanika said. "They did not make much of the effort to… follow me…"

"What do… _they _look like?"

"Oh, they are _horrible _creatures. Big, reptilian, long tails, the bad morality…"

"Hissy, screeching voices and an awful personality? Because I think I just saw one by my hut. He…"

"What, Lewa?" Kiina inquired. "What'd he do?"

"He_… _he _destroyed _it! Yeah, I _know _he did! Told us to stop arguing then… bombed the thing to Karzahni…"

"Who is… us?"

Lewa sighed. "Oh. Yeah. See, Tanika, my relations with my Toa brothers and sister haven't been much-great lately, and we recently…"

"Split off?"

"Yes, we… how did you _know_?"

"My relationship with my sister was not the best either. We frequently did the squabbles. I think she was the jealous of me… it is the shame I will not be able to make amends now."

"The other Nuva. I _thought _so," Kiina scoffed. "Figures a machine designed to destroy Toa would technically end up destroying them anyway."

"Am I the needing to hear of this story?"

"It's complicated," Lewa said. "Either way, I'm pretty sure, going by your 'description', that that _was _a Gordanian outside my house. Shouldn't be too much of a problem if we work together-"

Tanika gasped. "They are _here!_ They _have_ the followed me! Oh, k'norfka, what am I going to _do?_"

Gresh put up his daggers hesitantly. "Remember what Lewa said? We'll help you. With luck, the other Glatorian will as well… and the other Toa, if we can find 'em. Where _are _the other Toa, anyway?"

"Beats me. Heard something about the Great Beings, but… bleh. Who cares? I think we're _more _than enough to take on some slimy wrinkle-lizard."

"Yeah," the Tajunan said, "I think we _are_! You needn't worry. If anything, we can keep you in the cave until we defeat them or they go away." She smiled slyly. "That's what happens with _all _thieves who try to disturb the sanctity of my people."

"Really? You will… do that much? All for me?"

"If the situation calls for it-"

* * *

He grinned. _Finally_. He'd _found _her.

Clop. Clop. Clop.

* * *

"Oh, this is the glorious! I cannot believe the luck in my finding you three! Would you not do the saying yourself, friends?"

Clop. Clop. _Clop. CLOP._

The exile looked at her newfound companions curiously. "Er… friends? Is something the wrong?"

* * *

H'ssiah growled, both in agony and triumph. She was close.

"Has something the ailed you? Might I find the cure for this affliction?"

_CLOP. CLOP. **CLOP. DRIP. CLOP.**_

* * *

"Friends? Answer me! ANSWER ME!"

"Tanika_…_" Gresh whispered.

"WHAT IS IT?"

"_Tanika… BEHIND YOU!_"  
She gasped. "_What_…"

"**_BEHIND YOU!_**"

"Lewa! What… MMMPHH!"

There was no use running. H'ssiah had won. The rutan'gah had lost.

* * *

"So," Superman said as he gestured everyone to take a seat, "I trust you all know why we're here."

Flash frowned. "Uh… no we don't? Kinda called us on extremely short notice, dude."

"There's good reasoning for that, though."

"Then I trust you will be able to tell us?" Wonder Woman said. "None of us came here on our own free time. There is still justice to be served."

"Yes," the Man of Steel sighed, "we'll get to that sooner or later. First I wanted to make everyone aware of something. J'onn?"

Martian Manhunter stood up and coughed. "Thank you, Superman. Recently," he began, looking at everyone, "I was made aware of a psychic transmission from a girl. It wouldn't be anything _too _interesting, except she seemed to have numerous supernatural abilities and kept talking about a curse."

"A curse?" Hawkgirl asked. "What for? Darkseid up to no good again?"

"No, thankfully not. It seems this one might be even worse though, for a very specific reason..."

Aquaman turned to the Martian. "Anything in specific?"

J'onn smiled, gaze specifically focused on Batman. "Ever heard of the concept of destiny?"

The League gasped.

"Yeah," Flash said, "from all of those old comic books. Why?"

"You see," Manhunter replied, "this girl has one. I was unable to find out _exactly _what (she seems to be very strong mentally, I was blocked;) but it seems hers is to… I don't know if you all are ready to hear this… destroy the world."

Everyone gasped again.

"WHAT?" Green Lantern roared, banging his ringed hand on the table. "Why weren't we told? Why aren't we _doing _anything?"

"That is a bit complicated for me to explain… let Clark tell you."

The others turned to the Kryptonian expectantly. "Eheheh… well… look… the thing is… we _won't. _We're not _going_ to."

The Amazon exhaled. "Why? Surely a world-threatening event can be out under our control?"

"I know, Diana," Superman replied. "It's just… Martian Manhunter just told you all about destiny, right?" Everyone nodded. "Kind of goes hand in hand with this situation. See, J'onn thinks that the girl will end up needing our help to try and stop it. Thing is… if she does, the world might be just as badly off."

"How can you know?" the Lantern grumbled. "I know J'onn's got some majorly good mind-reading powers and all, but… don't you think he might be wrong, this time? A girl is in _danger_. The _world _is in danger. It'd be against the Corps rules to stand by."

"We will deal with the Guardians later," Martian Manhunter sighed. "I believe… if we _do _take her in our steed, and assist her in defeating the threat, others will ravage the earth. And she will not be part of a team able to stop them."

"And that is?"

"I do not know the name yet. Just know it will be big, in time. With it, the girl may-"

"J'onnz," Batman growled, "what's the point of telling us? Leave the girl to her lonesome and let us do what _we _need to do."

"I just thought it would be nice to warn you," Superman suggested. "Besides, she's apparently something to do with that ward of yours- Robin-"

The detective's eyes shot up. "What about him?"

"He's supposed to… help her… I think…"

"He _can't_, Clark. He's _gone_."

* * *

We're now at the end of Chapter Ten, and things are _finally_ starting to ramp up! _Phew!_ Aren't you _glad_ you slogged through all of that backstory?

1. Velika was the only Great Being who actually _tested out_ Mata Nui. Makes sense that he'd be the one pulling the strings. (The flashback takes place over 60,000 years and ends right before the Shattering. The guy was probably an expert by then.) I don't know why Malum was his friend; didn't everyone hate the Great Beings?

2. Lewa and Starfire talk for the first time! Did I overdo it? Did I underdo it? Was Mata Nui actually an alien? Why did I pick the name Tanika?

3. Actually, why _did_ I name Kory Tanika? I dunno. Was just looking through the Matoran language and it was the first thing that came to mind.

4. I hope the whole thing was interesting enough to whet your tastes. Prepare for a _lot_ more of this later.

5. They're all screwed.

6. The Justice League scene, again, takes place in the comics but I just HAD to half-ass an excuse on why they wouldn't help fight the Gordanians. I hope it makes at least the _littlest_ modicum of sense.

7. On that note, the protodermis pool is a little half-assed too. Try to ignore it, please. It's going to be important soon.

Read and review!


	11. Dispersal

**Chapter Eleven: Dispersal**

It was true. Richard had recently left under complaints that Batman was being too overprotective- and in truth, he had. He had tried to neglect the loss at first, but he soon began to suffer physically and mentally- a detriment on his crime busting endeavours. Thankfully, like the Chronicler had forgotten to mention- no, he didn't, it just wasn't the right time- Bruce had found a very interesting person with boundless potential.

He had parked the Batmobile in a dark alleyway before going off to fight Catwoman. It was a long and tiring ordeal, and the Bat was glad to be able to go home and relax for a while. However, when he got back to his car he was surprised to see a young boy fixing- no, stealing his tires! The thought was infuriating to him- who even had the right to do that? But he accepted it; as he later learned after offering to take the kid, Jason Todd, home, the tires were supposed to help him earn some cash and hopefully get off the streets. Batman would not let an innocent child waste away like that.

Jason was at first kept at home, Bruce and Alfred unsure of what to do with him; Bruce because he wanted to keep him safe and Alfred because he thought integrating him into society would be a problem. However, one night the manor had been invaded by a thug, with Wayne off on patrol and unable to do anything to stop him; surprisingly, however, the boy was able to keep him off! It was at that moment that the detective knew he couldn't stay without a sidekick any longer. He was going to make the kid a Robin, whether the actual Robin liked it or not. And yes, Richard had actually kept the mantle of Robin. What an ungrateful little-

"I _know_, Bruce. But you do not seem to realize that Robin can do things _without _your support. Has he not before, with Young Justice?"

"Yes," Batman sighed. "So he has." His gaze hardened. "Enough of that. You're obviously aware of things that haven't happened yet. Can you tell us what _exactly _he's going to do?"

"I'm going to guess… stop an alien invasion?"

"Shut _up_, Barry."

"Hey, I'm just saying."

"Flash is right," Hawkgirl advised. "It seems we've been taking on a lot of those recently."

Green Lantern saddled up to his friend. "Well in that case, J'onn, what's your reasoning behind letting Robin do so himself? And when will he _do_ so? Oa'll _have _to know about this sooner or later."

"On my last check," Manhunter said, "soon, most probably. And he will find solace in those he does not know, as we once did, and patch the holes that have formed."

"Heh," Flash chuckled. "Sounds pretty cheesy to me. You _sure_ this isn't just the plot of some bad Leagues crossover fanfiction?"

"I would not be surprised."

The Chronicler _insisted _it was _not_, and to be _patient_.

Superman smiled. "People like the Justice League. People liked Young Justice. What can you do?" He stood up and motioned everyone else to do so as well. "Anyway, I think that's enough for now. Obviously we're not making much headway on the issue. It's probably best to return to your cities and wait to see what happens."

"But Clark," Wonder looked at him concernedly, "we don't know _where_ this may be happening."

"Good point, Diana. Where _are _they landing, J'onn?"

"Jump."

He frowned. "Jump? Where?"

"Jump. That is the name."

"The name of your command?"

Aquaman facepalmed. "I think he means… that's where they'll jump?"

"Jump City."

"That song's very stupid."

"Uugh! I don't think he means that-"

"That is where they will land, yes. Jump City."

"But is it where _Clark_'ll land, or is it-"

"Jump City, California… right?"

Everyone looked at Flash concernedly.

"What? It's perfectly viable they'd go there. _Everyone_ in the hero business is in that city. Can't blame 'em, really. The beaches are nice…"

"Aliens are invading Earth for the 'lovely beaches' and destiny is forcing us to stand by and watch," Batman deadpanned. "We're doomed."

* * *

"_Mmmphgrnn!_"

They had all been strongarmed by huge reptilian creatures with surprisingly large ears. _Gordanians_, Lewa shuddered to think as he struggled against his captor. Why were they able to _find _her so easily? And how come he couldn't use his powers?

"Inhibitor bracelets," a low voice sneered. "Do you like them? I'd figured they would be _perfect_ for you, after you were able to hide this _rutan'gah _so _easily_. What say you, Glatorian?"

"We didn't hide her," Gresh said. "Somebody else did. She only came to us."

"And I'm _not _a Glatorian," Lewa frowned.

"Was she recommended to do so by that 'perfect little angel' brown one? Because I know all too well that he is a fake. A phony, if you will. And hush," the reptile breathed. "You are."

Kiina growled. "_Malum! _Knew that little weasel was up to something. Why did you trust him?"

"Oh, is that his name then? _Malum_?" He laughed. "_Ha!_ It figures Glatorian would make up such stupid names. Malum. Atero. _Ironside._ Please don't force me to listen to this hilarity anymore."

"What's your prejudice against Glatorian, anyway?" Gresh asked.

"You are all _scum_. Degenerate savages who seem to have no sense of sociality and self-pride. _Disgusting_. I don't even know why 'Mata Nui' would even _reform_ this wasteland for you."

"He did it because he _CARED_!" the Tajunan roared.

The Gordanian walked up to her and smiled in her face. "_Please_. I haven't gotten the full specifics of your history yet but I'm sure he only _tried_ because some naïve optimists forced him to. And besides," he smiled, placing a blaster near her helmet, "why has he not aided you here, with your '_friend_'?"

"He wasn't _forced _to! He helped us because that's what he _wanted-_"

"He's trapped in the Ignika," Lewa sighed. "And… um… _no. _I'm a _Toa_. Toa Lewa Nu… Toa Lewa. Ask any Matoran or Turaga and they'll tell you so."

"_Mmmmph! Hmmpnhhmph!_"

"'Matoran?' '_Turaga?_' This is rich! You are undoubtedly some of the _stupidest _individuals I have ever encountered. Why do you choose to save the rutan'gah if you _know_ she is a slave, bound to the Gordanian Army? Why do your idiotic friends reveal the locations of major cities to potential enemies…" The alien snapped his fingers. "Like _that_? And why, why, _why_ must your senior citizens be so _daft _as to threaten to _kill _us all?"

"Hey, wasn't me, buster. _You're_ the one who was talkin' about enslavin' the girl and the like."

A geriatric blue Agori, carried in the arms of an officer, was brought forward.

"Old Man Ike!" Kiina squealed. "Why did you…"

"Yeah, kiddo, it's me," the Agori sighed. "Couldn't let such misogyny go unnoticed an' all."

The blue Glatorian sighed. "Ike, you're a male in a village primarily dominated by _females_. Who are you to talk about misogyny like that?"

"Who'd I be for not talkin' about it?"

"An embittered old crone," Gresh muttered.

"I heard that, kid," 'Ike' crowed. "Don't think you'll get away with that so easily! I've got some new elemental powers, see, and I'll-"

The officer quickly tightened his grip. "Stop! You'll _hurt_ him!"

"See!" The reptile sneered. "Why is he talking about such blasphemous issues? Such time would be better spent solving the friction between your _numerous _villages-"

"Shut your mouth."

"What did you say?"

"Yeah, you heard me. Shut your mouth. You don't get a speech-say in this either."

He turned to Lewa. "And… how so?"

"You already ruined all your chances at negotiation by comin' here. If she wanted to go, she should be _able_ to go. No need to follow. Second, I know this is stupid to say, but why would you listen to _Akhmou_? Little Karzahni-spawn tried to infect everyone in Po-Koro with shadow-balls!"

"Trackers, obviously."

"Oh. Right. Still, though… he's _Akhmou. Nobody _listens to him. It's why the Turaga _sent_ him on that stupid mission-trek in the _first_ place. And anyways, why the _hay'd _you do that to her? Tanika, anyway?"

"Tanika?"

"Yeah, that's her name!"

"I believe it is…" The being sighed. "Koryand'r…"

Lewa frowned. "Whatever. Point is, she was an innocent little girl, and I'm _sure_ she didn't like being hustled into a ship to work for _you. _Slavery shouldn't happen, period. It's cruel-demeaning. Stuff along those lines is _wrong_, and _that's_ what makes this Toa business. Which is to speak-say… if my Toa-brothers and sister were here, I'm sure they'd assist-help out."

"_MMMMMMMPH!_"

"Why _aren't _they here? Did you do something to _provoke_ them?"

"No… no I didn't? Why would I?"

"Your big mouth is clearly enough to get _anyone _to die of boredom, judging by my mens' expressions." He jerked over to his troops. "It's the truth."

"_Shut up!_ It's not!"

"Lewa…"

"_No_, Kiina-sister! Tahu-brother was bad enough; I don't need _snake-invaders_ to ruin my day too!"

"Wait… so it _was_ Tahu? Why would he…"

"He _hates_ me! He thinks I'm _useless!_"

"The amount of you wretched lot I've encountered seems to prove your point-"

A faint breeze began to blow, rustling up some dirt.

"I don't care if you have to kill me or whatever. Go back to Karzahni and _leave Tanika alone_."

"The Lord and Lady would have to say otherwise, Glatorian. She _needs_ us. It's part of the _peace treaty_ with Tamaran. Can't break it."

"Have you ever _asked _her?"

"_Hmmph…_"

"She wouldn't tell us. Too invested in her own little world to care." He smiled at the memory. "Thinking of leaving to take revenge on your _sister_, rutan'gah? How cute. I'm sure she'd _never_ accept that."

"_Mmmph!_"

The wind began to pick up.

"I _said, _leave her _alone_!"

"She's our _property! _We can do what we want!"

"_Shut u-_"

"Both of you quiet down!"

"This argument doesn't _involve _you!"

"I thought you were _for_ our efforts."

"Why does any of this matter? I simply wish to know _why you would take in the rutangah-_"

"I wouldn't be a Toa if I didn't-"

"You mean you wouldn't be a hero _in general-_"

"I don't _care_!"

"You _should_!"

"Don't act like you lot own this place, we do too-"

"Why. Did. You. _Shelter her_?"

"I told you I HAD TO! SHUT UP!"

"_Mmm… HHMHMHMHMPHHHMHM!_"

The wind was now, surprisingly, blowing fairly rapidly.

"Stop trying to disable the collars!"

"I HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO!"

"_No you don't!_ Why did the _Great Beings_ make Marendar?"

"That was two hundred thousand _years_ ago!"

"You have _no _right to take the rutan'gah. It is considered stealing-"

"_SCREW YOU!_"

"**_HHHMMMMMMMPHHH!_**"

"I want to go _home-_"

"NOBODY CARES-"

"I really should just take my blaster and off-"

"QUIET!"

"NO!"

"I _HATE_ TOA!"

"I hate you _all_."

"I'm serious! I'll-"

"**_Quiet._**"

The wind died down.

"**_All of you._**"

The reptile turned to this new arrival. Quivering in shock, he quickly knelt down and bowed.

"L-Lord Trog'aar! Your Majesty! It-It is good to see you again!"

"I regretfully cannot say the same for you, H'ssiah."

"No matter- no matter at all," H'ssiah breathed. "W-What brings _you_ here? I thought you were-"

"I was slumbering, yes," Trog'aar intoned. "Yet I was quickly roused when I found that the _Stormfront_ had stopped- _no slave in tow_. It fell upon my humble self to _find _her."

"Well- you see-"

"I see _nothing_. Nothing but inferior robotics and a very dangerous prisoner."

"What about-"

The lord sighed. "_You?_ Oh, I see you. _You bumbling around and not getting any WORK done!_ Miserable little vermin."

"Could you not place the blame on these stupid Glatorian or the rutan'gah instead?"

"Please, do not use the word rutan'gah again. It is much too _old_, quite like the inferior shielding technology that _allowed_ _her to escape_."

H' gulped. "Um- I was commanding the ship! I did not know- why- but I-"

The bigger Gordanian strolled up to his lieutenant and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "No need to harm yourself over these frivolous little things. The moment has passed. Clearly, I was endangering the initiative by resting myself when I should have been helming the damn procedure from the beginning. Back to the ship, Lieutenant."

"Wait- you don't mean…"

"Have your ears been damaged by this annoying screeching?"

"As a matter of fact, they have! But that doesn't put-"

"You forget _my _ears are more vunerable than yours. Worthless pansy. I should _not _have placed faith in you. _Back _to the ship."

"But-!"

"_Back to the ship, you fool!_ I swear to Zorg. You are very much an embodiment of the Kas'tern Toubea'm. It is _maddening_."

ssiah began walking out of the cave, but looked back to his lord in sadness. "May I-"

Trog'aar kindly answered him by giving him the boot.

_WHUMP!_

He looked at Tanika and the trio, both in admiration and irritation. "Now then," he smiled, "what to do with _you?_"

"You… you could start by leaving Spherus Magna," Lewa spat.

"Of course. That is a given. No… what am I going to _do _with _you_?"

Kiina scoffed. "Don't even try anything. We _don't_ want any trouble."

The Gordanian sighed. "I am aware. But," he raised a clawed finger, "H'ssiah, while incredibly dimwitted, _did _have a point. You took in the girl, _knowing _that she was a slave, and had the intention to shelter her regardless of the consequences. I cannot let that go unpunished."

"By whose law?"

"The Gordanian Constitution. As it states, 'Properties of Gordania are properties of Gordania and may not be stolen by anyone else.' Despite your good wills, you did exactly as written. Sadly, this will not do."

"How're you gonna kill us?" Lewa exhaled. "Torture? Animal murder? Interspace ejection and therefore asphyxiation?"

"Don't be daft," Tro'gaar scowled. "We Gordanians are not _that_ unmerciful. No," he said, gesturing to the other troops, "I think those things are much too cruel. In my personal opinion, imprisonment in the Palace will do. Do you all agree?"

"_Yeah!_"

He grinned. "Very well then. I apologize for the hassle, Glatorian," he said, beginning to walk out, "but such is the way of law. Come, my men. We must make up for the lost time spent looking for the slave. The press is waiting."

Some did not move.

"Gentlemen? I thought the order was given to move?"

One pointed back to a crack in the wall.

"I do not see anything of _importance _there. Come along."

Others looked back there too, and continued to stay put.

"_Men! _We must _move! _Lady Tra'lina requires my services fairly soon, and you will not like her when she is angry-"

**_SMASH!_**

Rubble fell out of the crack, giving way to rising dust that revealed an opening to have been made in the crack. Tro'gaar frowned and walked to it to get a closer look.

"Lord Tro'gaar!"

He perked. "Hrrm?"

_Hug!_ "Aaaww, Lord Tro'gaar. I was worrieds I was never goings to see youse agains."

"Hello, Admiral Jone'z. I was fairly worried as well. What details can you give on your…" he frowned at the Glatorian and Matoran, "journey?"

"Oh, loads!" Jone'z grinned. "We was downs in the tunnels beneaths this ridge- pretty interestings stuffs, I tells youse what!"

"Do not listen to him," Sm'ist deadpanned. "He has been off his rocker as of late."

The lord glowered at the new arrival. "As I was aware, Corporal, this is Admiral _Jone'z_ I am talking about. Jonesin' Josie, if you can remember that far back? He has _always_ been off his rocker."

"Even so, you cannott deny this planet has excited him far too much to be normal-"

"Yeah, he's rights! We saw crystals, and murals, and an honest-to-gods pool of protodermis! Useds by the Great Beings, Tro'gaar! You remembers 'em?"

"The Great Beings?" Tro'gaar frowned. "A tad. I seem to recall them creating our wildlife- but that would be a bit _too _nostalgic to mention, I think. What is so important about this… protodermis, again?"

"That's the things! We don'ts know! Akhmou heres says it's tieds to your destiny- which coulds be anythings! Think of the possibilities, man!"

"I can think of many, and none of them are good."

"No, Sm'ist, he has a point. Continue, man. Have you tried it yet?"

"Nah, he says it's too dangerous- can't blames 'im. Don't wanna gets killed, now do wes?"

"We don't…" He hummed. "Yes, that is true." Turning to the Glatorian, he added, "It seems you would know quite a bit about protodermis, if this little robot is to be believed. Tell me… have you tried it?"

"Well…"

"I don't know?"

"_Tell me!_"

"Okay, okay!" Lewa sighed. "I have… once. Turned me into a Toa… Nuva. General upgrade, really. I don't know if it's really my _destiny_. Heard it might _adhere_ to your destiny, though…"

"Interesting. What of you two?"

"Nah."

"Never tried it."

"Well then… that is quite interesting! For a mere liquid to give you such power, as I see… Jone'z is right! The possibilities are endless…" He looked to the ground. "He is also right, though, that the thing may be dangerous…" _Sigh_. "It appears we may need to test this further. **_LIEUTENANT!_**"

"_Y-yes, my lord?_"

"**_Come back here. I have an assignment for you._**"

"_Coming, sir_!"

Lieutenant H'ssiah was back in a flash- not before another bomb exploded, of course. Tro'gaar was quick to notice.

"I _do _hope you have not bombed the place, Lieutenant?"

"Huh?" H' shook his head. "Maybe… a little…"

The lord glowered, then settled down. "No matter. It should be in the past now. I have an assignment for you, H'ssiah."

ssiah perked. "Oh? And what might that be, m'lord?"

"Admiral Jone'z reports he has found a cache of something called 'protodermis,' which this robot reports has increased his power tenfold. I feel it may help the Gordanian cause greatly- however, its properties are hazardous, and we are obviously naught to test them. Therefore, I am assigning you to take the Glatorian and try it for yourself."

"You- you mean it?"

Tro'gaar exhaled. "_Yes_, Lieutenant, so I do. Now go, before I decide to dunk you in on my own time."

"You weren't going to do so before?"

"No… surely you know I am at least _that_ merciful."

He quickly found his feet hugged. "Oh, of _course_ I do, Lord!" H'ssiah saluted him. "I won't let you down, Your Majesty. Count on it!"

"Oh, I am _already_ counting. One… two… three… four…"

"You don't think he's going to try and _kill us_, is he?"

Gresh looked at his friend worriedly. "Why would he?"

"Protodermis is _dangerous_, brother. One wrong-bath in the stuff and you could find yourself a Kopen-servant to a Rahi Nui! Obviously, it's not _that _severe, but there's a very good luck-chance you'll die… I didn't even know I was still _alive_ in that tube, remember?"

"Yeah," Kiina said. "That's true. It's really a gamble though, isn't it? There's no telling whether you pass or fail its test, so… isn't it worth trying?"

"Maybe," Lewa sighed. "I don't know. It wouldn't be right to go at it again, lest I-"

"_Come here, you scum!_"

Oh _no._

"Hey! What's the big idea?"

"You're walking with me, Glatorian. I'm to lead you to your destiny."

The Toa began pulling at his captor, using his air powers to try and weasel his way out of the grip. "Destiny? What destiny? I don't even _learn-know _my destiny! How could you?"

"I _don't_. Don't be airheaded, pest…"

"Heh," Lewa chuckled. "It's funny because I'm an airhead…_ No! _You can't _do_ that!"

"_Hrrrphmmm!_"

"And why not? I have orders from Lord Tro'gaar. They _must_ be obeyed."

The warrior growled at him. "I won't let this happen!"

"It is your punishment…"

Aw hell no. That wasn't happening. Not on Lewa's watch.

Desperate to get out of H'ssiah's arms, the Toa began doing the one thing he thought he would never do. Drawing on all his power, he called on the wind to coalesce around him, forming a protective sphere. His eyes began to glow, brilliant neon green lighting up the cave. The air began to move rapidly, brushing everyone and smelling faintly of the forest.

The wind asked Lewa if he knew what he was doing. Lewa said he wasn't sure… but it had to be done.

Before he pulled the trigger, the ex-Toa Nuva gazed upon his friends one last time. Kiina, Gresh and Tanika looked at him, desperate to find a way out. Malum and Akhmou were indifferent, the Po-Matoran even happy. The two smaller Gordanians… Smith and Jones, he was sure, observed him in awe. The biggest, Lord Trogdor, was the happiest of all, royal demeanor threatening to break under his excitement.

Lewa sighed. He knew… Tahu had advised him not to try this, for fear of major damage, but the situation seemed desperate enough to ignore it…

He was going to do the Nova Blast. Karzahni help them all.

* * *

"Jump: 175 Miles, L.A.: 214 Miles," marked the three-quarter point on the Dixon Highway, the main road between Metropolis on the east coast and Los Angeles on the west. Cacti and small grasses littered the desert sand, winds periodically carrying debris over the concrete line; the highway itself separated the land into two, jamming itself into the ground using construction tools and extending far off into the distance, vanishing from sight at the foot of some nearby mountains. The setting sun projected a warm orange light over the land, causing the road and its inhabitants to brightly shimmer. At the moment, the population was a scant two; whether this was because of the harsh conditions (a good 100 miles without a rest stop!) or a simple refusal to take any non-aviation modes of transport was unknown. Nevertheless, that was all that could be said about the area at the moment, a dark red motorcycle with a stylized 'R' emblem and a nondescript black Toyota plodding down the street and leaving a trail of dust in their wake.

The shiny metallic cycle belonged to a lanky young teen, dull brown bomber jacket and pants complementing his pale skin and spiky, skunk-like hair. He remained focused on the drive ahead, uncaring about much else but his destination; if he were to take his domino mask off, one would be able to see his eyes intensely staring into the distance. This was Dick Grayson, or as he now preferred to call himself, Robin.

The Toyota was… well… a Toyota, faintly scratched and bearing dust marks no doubt from previous bouts with sandstorms. Inside, a tall, well-to-do man with a combed white beard, blue and orange jumpsuit and sinister black eyepatch held the wheel, listening to 80's rock on the radio, while a portly old gentleman sporting a white tie and suit and a black shirt (the clichéd butler outfit) and a shiny bald head studied a map beside him. The Chronicler did not know their names at the moment, but he had no doubt everyone would find out sooner or later.

* * *

AW SNAP WE IN TROUBLE NOW

1. Jason's origin story is obviously Post-Crisis (Pre-Crisis, he's an acrobat who is orphaned then taken away by Bruce. EXACTLY the same as Dick's, right down to the hair colour. Jeez.)

2. More "explanations" for why the League didn't help Robin out. They suck. I'll use their actual reasoning (Zatanna is disturbed by Raven's aura) when the time comes.

3. The argument between H'ssiah and the Toa/Glatorian was very hard to right, only because the payoff is so _so_ **sweet. **It's Lord Tro'gaar! The character who _should've_ been leading things from the start, but ended up getting shafted for some... _OC_. Don't worry, he'll be attacking Earth like he's supposed to.

4. Are the Gordanians dark enough, actually? They didn't seem so in the episode, but I'd imagine they'd be very vicious to any species that's not theirs. Even one they don't know very well.

5. Hoo boy. I know what you're thinking. "Why the hell is he using Energized Protodermis as an excuse to send Lewa into the TT world?"

Well... for starters, it's convenient. I don't think it'd make much sense to have him captured by aliens or slung into space or something, or even to leave for that matter. Second, I did some research and the stuff actually appears to be _sapient_. So it could do what it wanted.

Third...

It's a fanfiction, really. Doesn't _have_ to follow canon to a T. In fact, inserting Lewa pretty much breaks it. No skin off my nose. If it makes you feel any better (for anyone who is hurt, anyway) the scene doesn't last very long and it's not fully explained come arrival. Just assume Lewa was destroyed then rebuilt on Earth. (The Nova Blast is a more interesting thing to think about as is.)

6. Another three guesses as to who that is and what he wants.

Sorry for the harsh "rant" back there. Just wanted to "clarify" something. Read and review!


	12. The End of Creation

**Chapter Twelve: The End of Creation**

The butler puffed. "How… how much longer're we supposed to go on, sir?"

The eyepatched fellow sighed and took the map from his cohort, putting it on the dashboard to keep one eye on the road. "We just passed the three-fourths mark, it seems. Don't tire yourself out. Richard will be sure to stop in a bit."

"_In a bit?_" Eyepatch swiftly found a stern hand on his shoulder, Butler obviously quite incensed. "I believe he's been at this for _two thousand miles!_" He slumped back into his seat and sighed again, popping open a can of soda. "Forgive me for pestering you, sir, but as far as I'm concerned, Mister Grayson will _never_ quit. Why _are_ we following him, again?"

Eyepatch smiled. "You haven't guessed yet?"

"No, I've not a clue. I _know _we're chasing him, but… what do we _want_ with him?"

"Good question." The bearded man unlatched the worn-out glovebox, allowing scores of crumpled and torn papers to fall out. Most were insignificant, but among the pile was a picture of the Boy Wonder, a team shot of the Justice League, and, shockingly enough, an autopsy report.

"Gaze your eyes upon _this_, Wintergreen. It's a collection of papers on or relating to our current… er… _case_. Possibly my finest set of Robin memorabilia to date."

Wintergreen looked at the mess and frowned. "What's so significant about all this, then? You mean to assassinate him?"

Eyepatch facepalmed in ire. "No, you fool! What I _mean_ to say," he continued, calming himself down, "is that these are for our new… project. So yes. In a way, you're right. We're hunting Robin down, but we're not _killing him_."

"And why not, sir? Surely the murder of Dick Grayson will do much for your status in the community? He _is_ a ward of Bruce Wayne, you know."

Sun's reflection beginning to annoy him, Eyepatch quickly put his mirror down. He would be able to see fairly well with his good eye, anyway. "That is… true. Understand, though. This is Dick _Grayson_ we're talking about. It would stir up much media attention to have him killed, sure, but you have to remember that we'll eventually have to deal with Wayne…" He glowered, expecting his butler to get the hint. "He's _Batman_, okay?"

Wintergreen gasped. "_Batman_? Oh, right. That seems a trite risky. How _were_ you able to find their identities, anyway?"

"I have connections," Eyepatch grinned. "And if you're wondering, I don't have much of a desire for Barbara Gordon. Too feisty, if you ask me."

"Is that not a good thing, sir?"

The man hummed. "Yes… I _suppose_ so. She wouldn't make good apprentice material, though. Probably fight me off before agreeing so that she can keep her daddy off of her. It's actually quite charming."

"An _apprentice? _Is _that_ what this is about?" The butler growled, one eye trained on his master. "Bloody _hell_, Wilson! I'm mite sure Grant was enough!"

"Grant is _dead_, Wintergreen."

"Well… _yes_, but… _no!_ I thought we'd agreed it was too dangerous to retry!"

Wilson reached over, grabbing the autopsy report and handing it to Wintergreen to look over. "It's been a while. We won't succeed if we don't try again."

The butler perused the faxed paper. "What is this for, anyway? To show us how the boy was tragically murdered?"

He was given the picture of Robin and sighed. "This is Robin. Nothing interesting here, sir." Silence reigned for a bit; then, the print of the Justice League. "And this is the Justice League… say, why haven't they gone after the lad, sir? Isn't this a top priority situation?"

Wilson chuckled. "There's a new prodigy in their ranks. Doesn't matter anyway," he scoffed. "The idiots have left the Watchtower. Apparently _destiny_ means they won't be stopping an alien invasion."

Wintergreen paled. "Oh, my…" He froze. "Wait, a new prodigy… Justice Legue… Grant's death… BLIMEY! You don't think…"

"Ah. So you _are_ still as smart as you made yourself out to be." Wilson too grabbed a can of soda, popping it open and quickly chugging it down. "Yes, Wintergreen, I _do_. Grayson is smart, yes, but very flawed. Too aggressive, for a start. Doesn't know when to back off." Finishing the can, he nonchalantly threw it in the back. "If we can manipulate things properly, moulding the situation to my advantage, he'll be ours!"

"This is _insane_, sir. I don't… I don't know. Do you really think you can pull this off? Remember, he _is_ still Dick Grayson…"

Wilson nodded. "I can, remember? I'm the Terminator." Looking into the distance, he frowned. "It's Robin for right now. Quickly, hide the papers."

"What's the matter, sir? Need to pull over and re…" Before he could finish his sentence, the Toyota quickly swerved before stopping near a large communications tower. To the duo's surprise, _Robin himself_ pulled over, got off his motorbike, and harshly knocked on Wintergreen's window. The butler hesitated a moment before seeing the Boy Wonder's scowl and rapidly pulling the glass down.

He chuckled. "What… what seems to be the matter, m'boy? Robin?"

"I heard you two fighting pretty loudly a while ago. Anything wrong?"

"Oh, so you _did _hear us fighting about the appren… the court case over the stolen haggis! Hehehehe-"

"I'll take it from here, Wintergreen," Wilson said, muffling his cohort. "Nothing out of the ordinary, officer. No need to worry."

"You were about to mention an apprenticeship," Robin mused. "Then you shifted the topic. Something up?" Noticing their lack of expression, he glowered. "Don't play coy with me. I _know_ you were mentioning something criminal!"

Wilson gaped. "Apprenticeships are criminal now?"

"Only if they're not licensed. Which I _hope_ you are."

"Well…" He grinned cheekily. "We don't exactly have one running up at the moment, but we were hoping to get started within the next week. Just as soon as we get to Jump, anyway."

"You're heading to Jump too? Just for that?"

The man nodded. "That's what I have in mind. Although," he smiled, moving a bit closer to the hero, "I _do _hope you'll keep us in memory. I think you'd make a _great_ apprentice."

Robin smiled. "Sorry, I'm trying not to be tied to anyone… really? What for?"

"Er… I don't know exactly how to put it, but it'd be kind of like servitude. Running errands for me. You probably wouldn't be interested."

"No, I wouldn't. Need to make a name for myself, and not under somebody else." The Boy Wonder began walking back to his cycle. "Well, I guess I'll see you later, then. Good luck in Jump!" And with that, he was off. Wilson took his hand off Wintergreen's mouth and started off as well.

The wind raced through Robin's hair, the Boy Wonder taking the time to think. It was nice that people like Wintergreen and his friend were moving to Jump, but… for an apprenticeship? Why? Those things, the training sessions to become blacksmiths and plumbers and the like, were pretty mundane and not very lucrative; in fact, when it came down to it, even _he_ was in one! Nobody would want to take three years out of their life to learn a useless habit, and they should have known that. Knowing such made the two seem pretty suspicious… Hmm. He would _have_ to investigate them further.

Noticing the man's smile, the butler sighed. "Wasn't that a bit… _much _to tell him, sir?"

The assassin smirked. "You know Robin. He is very malleable. If we tell him what he wants to know, he will…"

"Want to know more. And… _then_ you can lure him in!" Wintergreen clapped, bouncing up and down. "That's _brilliant_, sir!"

"_I'm_ brilliant," Wilson advised. He leaned back in his seat and grinned slyly. "Just you wait, Wintergreen. Soon, the Boy Wonder himself will be in our grasp… and Deathstroke the Terminator will become a household same. Think of it! No longer will brainless children parrot the names Superman or Batman… it will be mine! Slade Wilson! Because I will rule the city! It's glorious!"

Wintergreen beamed. "Yes, sir, very glorious." He looked at his master and smiled, the man smiling right back at him. The two laughed maniacally, driving into the distance as the sun set.

* * *

The Nova Blast wasn't as vehement as Gali's had been. Lewa's elemental energy violently exploded backwards, sure, but aside from the bystanders being bathed in a sticky green fluid, the blast itself was surprisingly peaceful. Air rushed through the cavern, slightly rustling the stalactites and threatening to tip Akhmou over, and… nothing happened.

Nothing happened. A few rocks fell down here and there, but they caused no damage. The majority of the cave hadn't fallen down at all. The prisoners looked rattled, but due to their captors' surprisingly strong feet, they had not moved a muscle… Oh well. At least some of his energy had spurted out of the entrance, probably splattered on the ground below…

And at least the Toa had been completely drained of his powers, unable to even budge. The Nova Blast hadn't done a _thing_ to help them. What a ripoff.

"And what was _that_ supposed to be, Glatorian?"

Lewa frowned. "It was _supposed_ to be a Nova Blast… doesn't seem to've affected you at all. I'd thought…"

"Thought what?" H'ssiah hissed.

"That it… might be able to get us out of here…"

Tro'gaar sighed. "Alas and alack, my friend. You may be an all-powerful elemental being, but we are Gordanians… and we have powers you do not even _know_, same with us to you. I am sure none of my men thought a windstorm was going to fell us… did you?"

None of the men affirmed his question.

"Ah." He walked up to the Toa and propped his chin up, collecting some of the energy fluid on his fingers. "A shame it did not work the way you'd hoped. Quite a marvelous spectacle." He rubbed his hands together, took a little taste, and smiled. "Yes, such an ability genuinely surprises me. Is this something you do often?"

"No… sir…"

"Ah. Disappointing." Calling his men to the forefront, the Gordanian Lord turned to leave. "It has been an interesting experience on your planet, Lewa," the alien mused. "After the rutan'gah and your friends have been taken care of, I am sure I will come again."

"Don't…"

"Farewell!"

"_Friend!_"

"**_LEWA!_**"

The troops walked out of the cave, leaving Lewa and H'ssiah alone.

"No… you can't…" Lewa sighed and slumped over. "That wasn't… supposed to happen…"

The Lieutenant quickly propped him over. "Don't you die on me. I still need to see what's up with that Proto-liquid."

"Proto… dermis…"

"Right. Come on."

Violently pulling the Toa along, the Gordanian quickly trudged his way through Jone'z' opening. Lewa attempted to free himself one last time, but quit when he realized he couldn't. The Nova Blast had taken everything out of him. In a final action, he reached out to grab his axe, lying innocently on the ground… and wasn't able to. Tahu was right. He _was_ useless.

* * *

To loud cheers and the stench of smoke, the Gordanian army emerged from one of the openings to the inside of Gamarrus Ridge.

"People of Gordania!" Lord Tro'gaar called. "I apologize for the persistent delay, but in our haste, the men have managed to capture…" He quickly pulled out Tanika, causing the assembled audience to gasp. "_The rutan'gah!"_

Audible murmurs could be heard. Many were questioning the legitimacy of this find, and whether waiting so long was worth it. Others asked why some weird robots had been collected, and quite a few wondered why Lieutenant H'ssiah was among the troops.

"Yes, I understand your concern. _The rutan'gah? __**Now?**_" He chuckled. "That is quite valid! It would seem her escape was accomplished primarily through the failures of one H'ssiah…" The crowd booed. "Oh, hush! **_Quiet!_** You knew H'ssiah for a long time. He was old and daft. Surely he was meant to screw up sooner or later."

"But why now?" someone asked.

"Hmm… Good question! I do not know the answer myself… he seemed to be a ticking time bomb, really. Just _waiting_ to go off. A real Kas'tern Toubea'm, as it stands! Nighty night!" The Gordanians quickly cheered. "Please, please! I have yet to announce plans! Yes, they are necessary. We do not want a repeat of these events, after all."

Silence quickly fell over Tro'gaar's subjects. Nobody wanted to earn his ire.

"What do you think he's gonna do?" Kiina whispered.

Tanika bit her lip. "I do not know for sure, but I assure you it will be… the deadly…"

"H'ssiah's command was obviously a large reason of why the operation failed. I feel he is no longer needed. Henceforth, the position of Captain shall be taken by me." Everyone gasped again. "It is a necessary endeavor, I am afraid… do not worry. Life on board the _Stormfront_ will not change.

Secondly, I have to congratulate the rutan'gah for the cleverness of her absconding," he continued, holding the girl up. "It was known her powers were very strong, but to get as strong as to tear through the hull of the ship? Pah! Not possible!" He quickly darkened. "I will have you know, girl, that such things are not tolerated among us… try again and you will be _killed_. Full stop, no takebacks." Turning to his subjects again, he lightened up. "That said, I will be making a few… changes… to her get up… namely, she must be restrained. _Better_. She will _not _be breaking out."

"This isn't happening!"

"Of course it is, Glatorian," Akhmou scoffed. "Best you deal with it."

Tanika squeaked in surprise.

"Finally, on the issue of these… aliens…" Tro'gaar sighed. "It is a fairly complex story. You see, when the rutan'gah left the ship she came into the company of these robotic folk… Glatorian, as I am told." Everyone gasped, this time the loudest of all. "Yes, we have encountered spawn of the Great Beings again! Big surprise!

The event would be merrier, but unfortunately… they took her in. Willingly. Knowing that she was our slave. This is obviously unacceptable." The troops nodded. "As described under the Gordanian Criminal Code, Section 5 C-10, 'those who harbor official property of Gordania without permission must be gravely punished…' and so we will. I have not determined the exacts yet, but it seems imprisonment in the Palace will be acceptable… all in favour?"

"They need more than that!"

"I say we make 'em _all_ rutan'gahs!"

"Kill them all off!"

Malum paled. "I can't believe this. I was only supposed to take Akhmou to my Vorox… why did I even leave them?"

Jone'z helpfully patted him on the back. "Don't worry, man. Youse'll be fine."

Tro'gaar frowned. "Kill them all off? Are you _stupid_?" The indicated Gordanian froze and knelt down. "_Thank_ you. I _knew_ that idea was too good to be true.

Yes, it appears we will be making them rutan'gah after all… quite anticlimactic, but that is how all speeches go, really." He grinned. "Now then! We must head back to our ship, as I am sure the Citadel waits patiently for our arrival… Come, my subjects!"

The Gordanians all began to filter out of the area and into the _Stormfront_. The prisoners were all in various states of fear: Akhmou apathetic, Gresh and Malum scared, Kiina downright mortified, and Tanika actually _angry_. Her eyes glowed, air growing painfully hot.

"This should _NOT_ have the happened!"

Akhmou sighed. "You asked a Toa for help. What'd you expect?"

She grabbed the Matoran and stared at him, eyes boring deep into his own. "I expected to be _safe_, welch! Surely, we were the unprepared, but I made the binding promise… it was _NOT_ fulfilled! I _DEMAND_ the justice! I _DEMAND_ revenge! I _DEMAND- Uhnnnn…"_ Her rant stayed unfinished, as she quickly fell unconscious. Trog'aar smiled at her state and clipped a pair of handcuffs on her wrists.

"Hey!" Kiina growled. "What was _that_ for?"

"Inhibitor cuffs. She will be unable to use her powers. Safety issues, really."

"But she wasn't _doing _anything!"

"She was nigh near killing that poor soul… sorry to say, Glatorian, but you deserve a lot more rights than her. It is just the way things work."

Gresh frowned. "But to _cuff_ her? Seems like a poor choice of judgement."

"If we keep her out of commission, it is likely she will not bother us until we reach the citadel…" Tro'gaar glowered. "You know _what_? I think _you_ will be a huge bother as well. What say you, Admiral?"

"I unno, Chief… they seems pretty alrights to me."

"Knock them out," Sm'ist hissed.

"A bit dramatic, but… you are right." He turned to his bounty with a sad look on his face. "Sorry, friends, but I cannot have you ruin our reputation… the escape of the rutan'gah was bad enough, but the uncouthness of our prisoners will be even _worse_. It appears I will have to make you unconscious."

Malum froze. "You can't!"

Tro'gaar grinned. "Oh, but I can, Glatorian. It is in the Constitution."

"Constituion, Shmonstitution… You are not capturing me! No way, no why, no how!"

"Yes, I will. Sm'ist, see to it." The Gordanian walked off to meet with his lady.

The prisoners yelled in tandem. "No! Don't! Please!"

"Sorry," ist smirked, "but those are the rules. Goodnight."

He activated the collars, causing them to cry out in anguish. The screeching was a pain on everyone's ears, but thankfully, it ended quickly, as they quickly turned on and knocked them out.

"Looks like we should get going," the Corparal hissed.

The Admiral pouted. "Yeah…" He turned to his friend. "Hey, Sm'ist, do youse really thinks we should takes these twos withs us?"

"Why so?"

"They haven'ts done anything wrongs… Just tolds the rutan'gah to goes theres, is all. I don't sees anything wrongs with that."

Sm' jabbed him in the ribs. "Of course you do not. You're a fat old fool."

Jone'z froze. "I'ms a… _what_?"

"You heard me. A fat old fool, too kindly and generous to let anybody actually die."

z growled and quickly rolled up his sleeves. "Why I oughta… _COME HERES, YOUSE_!"

"Hah. I doubt-"

**_PUNCH._**

Sm'ist fell to the floor, audibly and visually unconscious. Jone'z grinned to himself. He still had it in him after all these years. Grabbing Malum and Akhmou, he quickly ran towards the faint image of the ridge.

* * *

"Let _go_ of me!"

"No… you stay put!"

They had been trudging through the Gordanian's tunnel, H'ssiah quickly grousing about how _annoying _the Glatorian was. He was a in a situation where his friends were in danger and he could very well _die_, and yet he _still_ blabbered on about not wanting to go with him and having a desire to be with the others. What a pest! The Lieutenant would be _glad_ to get rid of him.

"I'm not going in there!"

"You are and THAT IS FINAL!"

Lewa pouted. "No, I'm…" He paled when he saw the Gordanian's furious face. "Oh, all _right_. I'll stop. Just… please. _Don't do this_. I could be _killed_."

"And just as well," H' mused. About to make another comment, he gaped when he saw the room the two had entered.

"Oh… my…"

"No _way!_ Is that… a Great _Being_'s room?"

ssiah hissed. "How should I know?"

"Well… those fight-troops of yours seemed to know…"

"I wouldn't be surprised if they were told of it. Jone'z will believe _anything _'sincere' he hears."

Must've been Akhmou," Lewa mused. "Guy ally-worked with Makuta. He knew everything."

"_OKAY_!" the Gordanian screeched. "Take me to this… this Protodermis… _now_… before I kill all your friends!"

"You wouldn't! And I already told you, I can't… it's too dangerous!"

"That's why you're the experiment!"

"But I already went in it!" Lewa cried. It was true. The protodermis had already turned him into a Toa Nuva. Ta…hu had once told him he wanted to try using it again, to see if it would make him a Nuva after the Kanohi Ignika had devolved him, but he had apparently heard it was too much of a gamble to try. Seems this reptile didn't take it to heart.

H'ssiah growled, holding up a claw threateningly. "I'm _serious_, Glatorian. Take me there or they _die_."

Should he trust him not to kill them? They _were_ his friends, after all… Lewa didn't want them to be murdered. However, if he followed the man's orders, he would be dunked into protodermis and possibly killed… he couldn't have that…

Wait… Would it really matter? No matter what happened, his Toa-brothers and sister would still berate him for being useless, and the Glatorian and Tanika would take pity on him, or possibly worse for the alien. He'd seen a glimmer of fear, of betrayal in her eyes. The trio didn't know the _full_ spectrum of her powers yet, but if the light show she gave them was any indication…

He really _was_ useless.

"_Okay_," the Toa sighed. "It's the thick-silver liquid. Should be foaming about in an odd-pool. You can't miss it."

The Gordanian walked up to a circular indentation, small walls giving way to bubbles that popped to reveal rainbow sprinkles. "Is this it?"

Lewa looked around him, trying to get a good grip of the room's aesthetics. The room was tall, with big walls- okay. Murals seemed to show the building of the Great Spirit Robot- cool. A small counter with ruined bottles lay by a wall- interesting. An altar with an engraved stone stood elevated in the centre, apparently attributed to Velika-

_Velika_. _Of course_. Of course the scheming little Karzahni-spawn would lead to his destruction- he'd foretold of it when fighting him in Marendar. Of course the guy would attract the aliens' interest- he was an alien himself! Of _course_ he would still have some protodermis left over from before the war-

Because he _knew._

He knew _everything_.

He _knew_ this was supposed to happen.

If Lewa'd had the chance, he would've strangled him. Too late now…

The Toa exhaled, trying to control the pulsing of his heartlight. "Yes… this is it. Are you- are you _sure_ you want to do this?"

H'ssiah held him over the pool. "I'm not sure at _all_. This is all Lord Tro'gaar's doing, not mine."

"But- don't you think you could ignore him? For now? For our sake?"

The Lieutenant held the wriggling body in place with his clawed hands. "No, pest. I already ignored him once. Look where that got me."

"I- you can stay here," Lewa sobbed. "Stay with the Toa, Turaga, and Matoran. We'd help you- care for you- _you don't have to __**do **_this-"

H'ssiah screamed. "Are you really that _dense_? I am _sorry_, Glatorian, but I _must_ obey my Lord. No matter what the cost. If it means… killing you off, so be it." He began to let go of his cargo, the Toa slowly dropping from his grip.

"But- I don't want to die!"

"Sorry, Glatorian, but that's life._ Deal_." He scowled. "Any… last words?"

Lewa frowned. There were hundreds of things he could say- thanks for the memories, it's been a wild ride, sorry for being useless

He thought back to his talk with Onua, back in his hut. Hadn't he told himself to buck up? Yeah… he had! It wouldn't be like him to choke out a final response- he had to say something valid, something that wouldn't ruin his friends' chances-

Something that the Gordanian would actually _acknowledge_.

"I'm a _Toa_," he finally spat out. "Toa Lewa. And it's been fun. Thanks for the wild ride."

The Gordanian froze, then… smiled. He actually _smiled_.

"I am Lieutenant H'ssiah. And thank _you_, Toa Lewa. I think I shall."

Then he froze, scowled again, and finally let go.

_SPLASH!_

Lewa was dropped into the Energized Protodermis for the second time.

It tore at him. Ripped him apart. The pain was too much to bear, but he somehow managed to glimpse above him, on the surface. The faint reflection of the alien smiled and walked off. Just like that. Lewa would've cried, but his tearducts were probably gone by now.

Most of him was gone, as it were. His feet and hands, then his arms and legs, then his body… vaporized. Lost to the sinful liquid. He didn't want it to end like this…

His head, the last thing left, began to go. Wait, what was he _thinking_? Onua had told him that this might have been his destiny. To go where no Bionicle had gone before, meet new people and make new friends. To kick butt in new areas, and actually be away from the Toa… It probably wouldn't happen, but then again, Lewa believed anything his earthly brother said…

His eyes were the only remaining body part now. They shone in sadness and fear. He was going to die… in the protodermis… dead and alone…

_no…_

He shouldn't have let Kopaka in.

_I don't wanna die!_

The liquid briefly stopped… and then it was at him. Bubbles pecked at his eyes, and Toa Lewa could see no more. His body decomposed in the goop, the warrior's subconscious began to float downwards into the abyss, free from its struggles. The water grew blacker and blacker…

_sorry for being useless…_

and then he was

f

a

l

l

i

n

g…

* * *

**END OF PART ONE**

* * *

Welp. That's it. _For now._ Muahaha.

Final comments for this part:

1. Okay yeah I pretty much told you who that guy was and why he wants Robin. _Foooreshadowing._ If it's still not clear I might need to send him to you. *shrug*

2. Poor Lewa. I can't imagine he'd be pretty happy about messing up the Nova Blast like that (and I'm not sure why I wrote it like that too. Oh well. C'est la vie.)

3. Both groups are heading to Earth (which is the Teen Titans world, even though it and Spherus Magna aren't supposed to coexist. Whatever.) Starfire's gonna be piiiiissed.

4. Don't worry, Lewa doesn't stay like that for long...

... and you'll find out why in Part Two! Read and review!


	13. Interlude

It's quiet. Too quiet. The land is silent and forbidding. He desires to stay here, but he knows he must not be long.

The dunes race before him, distant paper memories in a harsh wind. The route is perilous, but soon he is there. It lays before him.

He is hesitant. He does not know his fate, but... does he wish to try it? There is a chance he could be lost. Of that he is sure. Though there would be no point in coming here if he did not.

So he jumps.

* * *

It's not long before the air rushes upward and he finds himself floating in space. There is nothing here. Stars and planets mean little. In the distance, he spots a dot. It is unknown to him, but he is not sure if it is necessary. Yet it beckons to him, blinking light of a satellite... then he will.

There is surprisingly little effort to be put into flying in space. A few stumbles persist but soon he is speeding towards the light. His love.

It seems very far away, and in fact it is. He is making no ground, the dot getting no closer. He begins to feel the pang of regret, loneliness. He _needs_ that sphere. Why is he not getting it?

Another short while passes. He is moving now, but in another direction entirely. The object of his affections languishes in the fabric above, calling to him...

But he cannot respond.

* * *

Time speeds before him. He is neither then or now. Things have warped reality.

A part of him wishes to stop this. To go back, to go home. But he cannot. A force is pushing him ahead. A shame, if he did not like it.

Soon space flashes in his eyes as well. Memories of home, of away. Even moments of the future. It makes no sense, but he does not plan to. It sounds too complicated.

A beach. A mask. A bug. A mountain. A scroll. A sky. A jungle. A kiss.

Then he is stopping, much to his confusion. This again makes no sense. His life is literally passing before his eyes. It should continue.

But for some reason... it does not.

No... it _diverts._

* * *

He starts off on a beach. Again. But things change.

He is in a city. Aliens appear. Explosions. Robots. Villains. Friendship.

Faces appear in the fabric. They are strange-looking but they are nice, smiling down at him. He smiles back. It is the least he can do.

They look at him for a while before he suddenly stops again. Time stops as well; then, it darkens.

The faces catch fire. It spreads all over their skin, burning them. He is afraid and tries to help. His efforts are useless.

Those which once held light, colour are soon gone. In their place remains pallor. Death. Destruction. Shadow.

* * *

Everything is in shadow now. Darkness. It is quiet. He does not know what to do.

Reality seems to respond nicely.

At first it is blank; he remains still, but...

Then things accelerate. Speed up. He is hanging on for his life. Or what remains of it, anyway.

Time is passing to quickly for him to make any of it. He notices fire. Ice. More darkness. A flash of red.

It speeds up, and now he is sure he is looking at the future. Averted. It is not something he wishes to know yet.

Things are at light speed. Nothing makes sense anymore. All concepts have been smashed.

It is black again, then a light suddenly appears...

* * *

Blue.

At first, that is all he sees. Blue.

Then grey. Soft and bubbly.

The wind is rushing through him. He knows he is falling. He cannot do anything about it.

A settlement in the background. A town. Big at that. Soon, if he is not dead, he will go there.

He continues to fall. It grows closer. There is something on the floor that he needs to avoid.

Time passes. He still falls. More grey. He knows he is close.

Something blue on the floor. Something else blue. What is it? Ice? Space? He cannot be sure.

It grows ever closer. Soon he is right above it. Although he does not want to die, he quickly embraces death.

It comes quickly. The blue fades to another. Sounds of chaos fill his ears. He is suddenly looming over a blue embrace...

_SPLASH!_


	14. Where the Heck ARE We?

**TOA ****TITANS**

PART TWO: TO BE A HERO

**Chapter One/Thirteen: Where the Heck ****_Are _****We?**

Water.

_Water!_

There was water all around him? Where _was_ he?

_Need to breathe!_

Oh yeah- hold that thought.

Acting on instinct, he called the Kakama, as he had when looking for it, and sped out of the substance as quickly as he could. Or, well- he tried. His arms and legs didn't seem to be _working _anymore.

_Hrrk- air! Can't stay down here- any longer!_

The Kakama didn't seem to be working, so he cycled through his other options. Hau- wouldn't help at all. Akaku- might help, but he was too dazed to use it. Pakari- what was he thinking? Miru- he was in water, it wouldn't work. Kaukau- that seemed like the best option, but he couldn't exactly… swim…

He floundered, trying to get his legs to work; unfortunately, they remained still, stiff as lead. It wasn't going to end like this, was it? He didn't even know where he was, let alone why he was there!

As his vision dimmed, he thought upon this question and came to the conclusion that God- Mata Nui- had sent him there to screw with him. What a shame. He hadn't even lived his _life_ yet…

Oh _karz_! _The_ _armour!_

Yes, in his oxygen-deprived state, he'd forgotten that he was actually still _wearing_ the adaptive armour, and could've used it to better his situation. How could he not have _known_? Was he really _that_ out of it?

_I'm such a _doofus.

No time to dwell on why- the armour had done exactly as advertised, and morphed into a more streamlined position, allowing him to move through the water easily. The jets that normally attached to his shoulders disappeared, replaced by giant fans. His sabre and skyblaster shrunk, taking on an ocean-ready state, and his mask changed to a diving type, more like Gali's, only without the air, which a new oxygen tank and tube happily provided. _Phew._

Now able to move at least somewhat, he quickly turned on the fans, letting himself swim lazily through the water. As the armour did so, he thought back to what had happened- had he fell? Yes, he distinctly remembered blacking out, then falling. He might have disintegrated too. Was he _dead? _It would seem so. Endless ocean, empty scenery, giant rock-

_Giant rock!_

_WHUMP!_

_Whoops_.

Lost in thought, he- Lewa, the being recalled, hadn't noticed a giant rock coming up in front of him and had banged into it head on. Disturbed by the impact trauma, the armour quickly reverted back to its regular state, leaving Lewa frozen again- and without water. No matter- at least he had been able to _breathe_ somewhat.

It would seem the rock wasn't the only thing in his way- looking around him, Lewa saw many other rocks, and with a bit of perusal, some tiny fish as well. He grinned. So he _wasn't_ dead! The question still remained, though- why was he here? He had fallen- but through what? The sea? The sky? The…

_Gotta get to the surface!_

Oh. Right.

Calling on the armour once more, Lewa managed to direct himself upwards, trying to swim out of the water. It was a difficult struggle, but he finally managed to get near sea level- unfortunately, though, the armour broke. Gasping in shock, he ended up taking in sea water, and more than he'd liked to-

_AIR!_

Ohkarzohkarzohkarz. He had to get out. Calling on what energy he had, Lewa was able to push himself off, and drag himself above the ocean…

_YES!_

_Phew_. That was intense. Sighing in relief at the end of his ordeal, Lewa stood on his hands and knees in some… sand, coughing out water. How could he have swum like that? He'd told Gali… wait, Gali… that he'd never go in the water again. That had to mean something had-

_The protodermis!_

_Toa!_

_Aliens!_

He scowled. _Now_ he remembered. An insidious Gordanian, who wanted to punish him for helping keep a rutabaga, Tanika, safe, had thrown the Toa into a pool of Energized Protodermis. _That_ had happened because Lewa had fled to Gamarrus Ridge in anger, and _that_ had happened because the Toa had broken up, and _that_ had happened because they had fought, and _that _had happened because… well…

He didn't know. Best not to cry over spilled milk, anyways. The Toa needed to know just where the heck the protodermis had _taken_ him- if he could call this travel, anyway.

Lewa looked at his surroundings. It seemed it was sunrise and he was on a beach, littered with towels, chairs and umbrellas and thus probably _not_ used by Glatorian- as far as he knew they never swam. He could relate. A little past that, the sandy beach gave way to a grassy field, also littered with chairs and umbrellas- and a little beyond that, there was…

Oh my.

Lewa had absolutely no idea what that was.

It looked like- a _bit _like- Metru Nui, as far as the Toa knew, but at the same time it looked- _modern_, if it could be called that? A thin slab of concrete bordered the field- probably a sidewalk- and that let out onto another slab- a road? Probably. Lewa hadn't paid much heed to the City of Legends' architecture- he'd been too preoccupied by the rebuilding of Le-Metru and the later journey to Voya Nui to care. At the time such knowledge had been useless, but if Matau was correct, and the effects of protodermis could _not_ be reversed… he was stuck. And it would be a good idea to keep such things in mind.

Lewa frowned. How could he be stuck? It wasn't fair. Had the Great Beings really intended for this to happen? He couldn't be in this unfamiliar place, like Metru Nui but not, with strange pseudo-Glatorian people, and an endless ocean! The thought made him want to cry, but he left it be. _Better just to get an idea of where I am_. He did sob a bit though, to let the bad feeling out.

Looking beyond the… road, the Toa noticed a metal thing with wheels. That was probably a car, like the kind Turaga Dume used. Strange that people would use it like that. On the other side of the road, a small store made its home- wait, what was it called? He couldn't make it out- wait… was he illiterate _again_? Seriously? The first time had been torture! He wasn't even sure he could _find_ a language stone again! The wind called him to call down, and Lewa smiled. At least _that_ was there to help him.

The store fronted a building, not particularly tall, and with the help of the Akaku, Lewa saw quite a few more- some old and made of stone, some newer and covered with glass. There were a few creatures walking between them, but the Toa's mask wasn't strong enough to make them out- he wished Kopaka were here. Wait- no he didn't. Not right now, anyway.

The areas to the immediate left and right of him were much the same- sidewalks, roads, cars, buildings, and people. It seemed pretty uniform, but the aesthetics were actually quite nice. Off in the far, far distance, the buildings gave way to an inlet, and then another island, connected by a long hanging bridge. Lewa grinned. This place actually looked pretty cool. He would go check out more than the sand he currently stood on, but he wasn't exactly sure what to see first-

"Help! Somebody, please help!"

Oh. That was like Metru Nui too.

Turning to the source of the scream, the Toa noticed that the creature who had given it out, a tall pale-skinned woman who looked much like Tanika, was cowering by the store, car slowly being dented by bullets. After a short inspection, _these_ seemed to be fired by a short, stocky man, wearing a hood that covered his features. A criminal. Go figure.

"You're dead, lady!"

Lewa started off to help, but froze- why should he help? He wasn't part of the Toa Nuva now, after all. He had no obligation to. This wasn't a Matoran, and as far as he knew there was no indication that either of the two wouldn't beat him to Karzahni-

"But- my diamonds!"

Wait, what was he _thinking?_ An innocent person was in _danger!_ He couldn't just leave her to _die_. Silly Lewa_._

Calling on his sabre and skyblaster, Lewa quickly sprung into action. "Hey, you!" He landed by the criminal and quickly slapped him on the head.

"Don't you know it's dark-rude to laugh-demean women like that?"

The man turned to this new threat, scanned him over, and froze… then he began to _guffaw_. "Oh, man! So, what're you _supposed_ to be? The Cyborg Conqueror? The Metal Manhunter? _The Titanium Totaler_? Give me a break!"

Lewa, unsurprisingly, couldn't catch a word of what he was saying, but the tone pretty much told him that he was mocking him. Not cool.

"I didn't understand that, but I'm not exactly a big fan of ridiculing!" Intercepting a shot from the criminal's gun, the Toa turned around, giving himself momentum, and launched into a big kick, forcing him through the air and onto the car.

Also unsurprisingly, the alarm began to go off. Lewa grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "Ehehehe… I hope that wasn't yours, sister."

The man, regaining consciousness, groaned and reached for his gun again. "You aren't getting away with this!"

Lewa moved to take him out, but was surprised to find the _woman_ squeezing the criminal's wrist instead.

"Oh- okay! I give! I give!"

"Sorry about that," the woman intoned. "I was just closer. Guess this is your first time on the job, huh?"

The Toa gave a toothy smile in reply.

"Well, thanks. You did pretty good." She turned, hearing sirens, and smiled. "Looks like the police are here to clean up. You're free to go now."

Still not quite catching her speech, Lewa gave thumbs up and turned to leave. Surprisingly, before he could, he was quickly cornered by one of the "poliz," a tall bulky creature wearing strange blue fabric and a funny silver hat. Was it supposed to protect him, like a Glatorian?

The poliz chuckled. "Sorry for bothering you, sir, but we need a few details. You okay with that?"

Lewa scratched his head and gestured that he didn't exactly know.

"Um… can you speak?"

Lewa frowned and gestured that he didn't understand anything.

The poliz seemed to pick up on this quickly. He too gestured, trying to get something out of him. "Do you… know… any other languages?"

It seemed the man wanted to know if he could speak. The warrior laughed. "Of _course _I can, brother!"

The poliz wasn't too hot about this. "Ah… okay. So you can." He began gesturing again, now apparently curious as to where he had come from. Lewa facepalmed. Not _again_! He would have to play this carefully, so as not to earn the man's ire and get himself captured and taken to a weird Le-Koro pastiche where the villagers hated any sort of technology and especially the Great Beings-

"_Sir!_"

Lewa quickly floated back down to earth. He shrugged in apology.

"That's… alright," the poliz said. "So, you came from… the ground?" The Toa pointed to the ocean, then slightly up. "Oh, from the ocean! Okay. A bit weird, but I can buy it." He flipped a small tablet, somehow writing things down. "I just need to know who you are, sir, then we're good."

Lewa scrunched his mouth in thought. It wasn't particularly easy to get letters through speech… but he would have to try. He began frantically gesturing to the man.

"Um… I? L? O… E? Leaf? Oh… V… W… okay… Lewis? No? Loren? Wait… Lewa! Lewa? That's a weird name… you're not from around here, are you?"

Lewa shook his head.

"Ah. You a hero?"

Lewa frowned and indicated that he did not know what that was.

"You know… a superhero!" The poliz said, also gesturing by flying around. "The guys and girls who go around fighting crime, using their powers to help people. Superman? Wonder Woman? Batman?"

The concept… made sense, as the man put it. A guy who flew around and punched people? He did that. The Toa quickly nodded affirmatively.

The poliz closed his tablet and nodded his head as well. "Alright. Cool. One more thing, though… you go by a secret identity? Lewa doesn't exactly feel like a codename."

Said person frowned again.

"I don't exactly know any secret identities, since I haven't read their comic books, but I can tell you they have them… oh, _wait! _The Elongated Man! That's Ralph Dibny, if you weren't aware. People use names like his so they can keep their loved ones safe. I think he doesn't 'cause his wife's a hero too." The poliz grinned. "Ah, how much fun _that _must be. I wish I had a wife…"

Lewa tapped the man on the shoulder, hoping to get his attention again. "Oh, sorry! Do you, though? Is there something under that armour?"

Lewa shook his head. He was about to say no to the… identity thing, too, but… it actually seemed like a good idea? He dwelled on this a bit. His friends and brothers were probably very mad at him. In time, they would _know_ that he was here, and come after him. It didn't make sense to go by his regular name, in case they found him and tore him to shreds… and besides, he was so worn out now that he didn't _want_ people to attribute him to his name. So he gave the first answer he could think of.

"Bion… icle? Is that it, then? Wait... Lewa? You have both? I can't help but imagine you as Bionicle, though…" The poliz gaped. "Mind making a decision quick?"

Lewa sighed, not knowing why he had stopped again, then paled.

Oh my. The _fangirls_.

It was a shame the concept got through to him so quickly. The Toa hadn't even _known_ that Matoran made fanclubs, but lo and behold- when he returned to Metru Nui, he found himself ambushed by dozens, sometimes _hundreds_ of the little people every day. It made no sense. Yes, he was very kind to the Matoran, but why would they return their affection in such a way? The thought confused him… and it, surprisingly, confused the poliz, too, since he quickly stepped out of their way, frantically collecting his tools.

"You'd better go! They're going to go after you now!"

Lewa sighed and nodded, preparing to fly off.

"Wait!" the man called. "What should I call you by?"

The Toa honestly didn't know. He'd picked the two at pure random- Bionicle because it represented his race and Lewa because he remembered hearing it in a dream and thought it added to his usual saying very well. It wasn't expected to stick, so he shrugged.

The poliz grinned, closing his tablet. "Alright then! See you soon!"

Lewa waved and flew off, leaving the chaos behind. Letting the wind and his jets carry him, the Toa thought over the situation. From what he'd gathered, this world had Toa-heroes much like his own, only much more… present. It was obvious their people loved them more, if the fangirl mob was any indication. Yet… criminals seemed to be here, too, and just as prominent. It was confusing… had he swapped worlds, or had the major concepts simply transferred over? He tried to think this over, but frowned; as he was still a little bit tired… he needed to sleep. Choosing the roof of a building to stand on, the Toa lay down and let darkness wash over him.

* * *

Malum opened his eyes and scowled.

Where the heck _was _he?

Had the aliens taken him aboard their ship? That would be a shame. He'd promised the Vorox he would return from his journey with Akhmou as soon as possible… and the thought of never _being_ able to go back was maddening…

"Oh good, you're awake."

Great. Wherever he was, it seemed _Akhmou _had come along too.

The Matoran sighed. "If you're wondering the same thing I am, then no, I don't think we've been abducted at all." He pointed into the distance. "Looks like we're still on Spherus Magna, if that makes any sense…"

"Why do you think they left us behind?"

He shrugged. "Beats me. Probably think we're no-good thieves-"

"You guys're alrights!"

Things just couldn't get any worse, could they?

* * *

"Ugh, my head."

She rubbed said body part, trying to dull the pain that emanated from it. Wait- why was she in pain, anyway? She didn't remember doing anything stupid last night…

Oh, right. The _Gordanians_.

She wiped her eyes, hoping to get a better view of where the scoundrels had dumped her. To her surprise, things didn't seem to be any different from a normal shelter on Bara Magna- they had thrown her into a small cell, chrome walls and glass door not unlike those which the Fire Tribe used to house visiting Glatorian. She smiled. If things were anything like back home they probably would have squeezed Tarix in here too-

"Kiina!"

"_Gresh?_"

A further inspection revealed that yes; Gresh from the Jungle Tribe was apparently her cellmate. Kiina facepalmed. Of course… He'd been talking with her and Lewa when that alien had come in and met them all, and he'd been captured along with them when the reptilians came to play. It made sense that they would group the same species together. In that case, though, where were the others?

She turned to her friend. "Where _are_ we?"

"Beats me." Gresh shrugged. "Gordanians threw collars on me and knocked me out. I don't remember a thing- though, by the looks of it, we seem to be on their ship…"

"Yeah… that would make sense. Do you know where the others are? Lewa and the girl?"

The Tesaran's face fell. "Lewa died, remember? He got thrown into the protodermis. Must've been pretty gruesome."

Kiina sobered. "Oh, yeah… don't remind me. What about… what about the other one?"

"Tanika?" Gresh flinched, apparently recalling a bad memory. "Ugh… I think she's cooped up with us, though not in the same cell. Kept banging and screaming about 'zengtha' or something. She seems really, _really_ angry."

"Who wouldn't be? Those bastards killed Lewa. They _deserve_ to pay."

The green Glatorian sighed and moved over to a wall. "Yeah, but to such an extent? They really don't seem _that_ bad… the Skrall would've done worse."

The Tajunan facepalmed. "Right… but we've gotta _do_ something, Gresh! We can't just sit here and let her take it! It was our promise!"

"Believe me, I've tried…" He knocked on the chrome-plated barricade for emphasis. "These things are hard as rock. Can't move them at all. I _wish_ we could save her, Kiina… but don't you think we're pretty helpless at the moment?"

She smiled. "Don't we have elemental powers?"

"Yeah, but what use would those be?"

The female began to pull out her trident, pointing at the door for emphasis. "C'mon, Gresh, we're bustin' out of… here…"

"You… don't have your weapon, do you?"

Kiina panicked. "No… do _you_?"

Gresh frowned and held up his hands. "If I did, do you think I would've tried?"

"We can't just be _stuck_ here!"

"Sorry, Kiina…" Gresh sighed. "But unless we get another Mata Nui-esque miracle, I think we're sunk."

* * *

Tanika was mad. Really, REALLY mad.

Those clorbags had _tracked _her! And killed her first real friend! And imprisoned the others, all the while making her situation _worse_! They were going to PAY!

She was trapped in another cell, only this time they had… 'improved' her handicaps. Not only was she alone, solitarily confined, but they had outfitted her in huge metal cuffs, probably inhibitor collars… and they had given her back _her crown_! _HER CROWN!_ It seemed insulting, putting the thing on her head _knowing_ that she could no longer return to rule Tamaran… _no! _It was HUMILIATING! She would not STAND for this anymore!

Fully taken by her anger, Tanika _SCREAMED_. She _pounded_ the wall, looking for a way out, and growled. When she realized that was not working, she reveled in her fury, activated her starbolts, and turned to the door, fully chrome with a small slot the only window to the outside world.

_ They were all going to __**PAY!**_

A couple of Gordanian troops marched through a corridor, inspecting the rutan'gah that the monarchy had acquired. All focus was currently on the Tamaranean, who had recently escaped only to be recaptured, but if one looked a bit closer, there were many interesting species to be found; among them a Slimorg, a mass of purplish slime that could do naught but spray people with its goop; a Matrix, a giant furry beast with massive claws who had gained infamy for killing several high-ranking members of the Army; an a Locrix, a metallic monstrosity which with time would be able to overrun the _Stormfront _in ten seconds flat.

As mentioned before, though, these finds were nothing compared to the Tamaranean; it appeared her powers had been _grossly_ underestimated, as Private Le'eUrikk had been unfortunate enough to find out. With a blast that leveled her containment unit and killed the officer, she had escaped the ship and fled to a distant planet, Spherus Magna; thankfully, Lord Tro'gaar and his men had been lucky enough to find her and bring her back, restrained enough to stay put. That said, _none _of the men working the ship wanted to be in eUrikk's place, so they were working overtime to keep the rutan'gah in check.

Walking to the end of the corridor, the two came upon the Tamaranean's cell. It was fairly nondescript; minimal chrome plating and a small glass opening, the perfect indicator of high-level security. The first smiled at that indication; the second was somewhat unsure.

Two other Gordanians, both crossing spears to prevent it from opening, were guarding the door. The two quickly greeted them; they had become familiar with each other during basic training. It was nice to see them in a more relaxed setting as opposed to the chaos that that clusterbomb was.

The first mentioned how a book signing was being conducted at the Citadel in the Private's honour, and asked if the other three wanted to go; the third said this was a good idea, but was more inclined to play some pool instead. The fourth chuckled, prompting the quartet to strike up a group laugh. It was a perfect moment; four friends in work together, shooting the breeze and having good times-

"**_HUUUAAAAARGHHH!_**"

Well, if good times involved _that_, anyway.

It seemed the Tamaranean was pounding the door- probably in anger, of course. Her enclosure had been changed to accommodate this, of course, but all four Gordanians stood at the ready, just in case.

_POUND. POUND._

"**_AAAAAAAAAGHHH!_**"

Now fully nervous, the first consulted his friends. "The door will hold?"

The second put a hand on his friend's shoulder reassuringly, although he still flinched. "It must-"

"**_NYYYEEEEEEEEGHHH!_**"

_POUND. POUND. __**POUND.**_

"The alien will be delivered on schedule," the third said confidently. "Lord Tro'gaar has commanded it."

**_POUND. POUND. POUND. _****_POUND_**.

The fourth lurched. "And… if this _thing_ gets loose?"

The first froze, before slowly sobering. "Then Zorg help us all," he whispered.

"**_HAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!_**"

With a thunderous **_SMASH, _**the slot unceremoniously broke. Two dangerously neon green eyes rose into view.

Uh oh. She wasn't supposed to be able to do that. The men trembled, knowing that they could very well die.

"If this is to be our last mission," the third said, "then I just want to let you all know it has been fun."

"Aye!"

"Yes."

"Affirmative."

They all froze, cowering in the rutan'gah's wake.

"**_HUUUAAAAARGHHH_****_!_**"

**_CRASH_**.

The door had been blown off, slot completely broken and lying in pieces on the floor. The fourth took a hesitant step closer, trying to see what had happened in the inky darkness; he quickly jumped back when the eyes _blazed _into view again, bathing everyone in a bright green light.

"R… rutan'gah?" the first asked reluctantly. "I… I would ask that you _stay calm_… stay in your cell, please… we mean no harm…"

"_Zengtha ru maka!_"

A loud _clop_ marked the entrance of the Tamaranean into the hallway.

The second began breathing rapidly. "What do you want? We will give you anything, anything you desire, just do not-"

"_KEK ZENGTHA ROR!_"

With that, the rutan'gah _roared_, charging at the men and knocking the second to the wall with a swing of her handcuffs.

"Zengtha ru maka! Kek zengtha ror!"

"Do not try anything stupid, Tamaranean, I swear to Zorg-"

Too late. Screaming incoherently, she swung again and took him and the fourth out. One _WHUMP _later, the first was the only one left. The rutan'gah coming on to him with a big uppercut, he quickly blocked it with a spear. Heart pounding in his throat, the man attempted to punch her back, but only caused her to slip, breaking his spear. Whoops. In a last-ditch attempt to save himself, the troop brought up his hands menacingly, but was violently kicked in the head towards a nearby control panel, sliding down it and triggering the breakout alarm.

Tanika smiled viciously. It seemed the old adage _did _apply to her powers after all. Unbridled joy and boundless confidence were obviously not going to get her anywhere, but righteous fury might just have been the key to getting the revenge she so desperately desired…

"Heska vo," the girl whispered in glee.

She was not going to break through the wall again, but Tanika knew she needed to escape quickly. Hijacking a decommissioned fighter, the exile aggressively took the controls and flew off, heading towards the bottom of the ship…

**_BOOM_**.

A section of the _Stormfront_'s hull had exploded. _Again_.

Smirking at the destruction she had caused, Tanika turned to the fighter's control planet to decide where she was going to go. It looked like Mars or Venus might be a good idea, but… she looked back to the massive smoke cloud drifting away from the ship and frowned. No time for that. The closest planet would be the way to go, and that seemed like…

_Earth_.

A mass of blue and green, more like it.

_Sounds like a pretty pathetic planet_, the girl thought. _But it will have to do_.

Commandeering the controls, she quickly told the fighter to make a beeline for the rock… and she was off.

* * *

And we begin Part Two with a bang... Literally!

Part One was basically a prologue, if that makes any sense. Or a backstory. This is where the actual meat starts. (Ew. Meat.)

I should probably mention the whole review thing now. Because it's making me anxious. Blah.

First comments!

1. You don't need to be a Nobel Prize winner to figure out where Lewa's washed up. And that I'm going to have severe issues writing the whole language barrier thing. Bear with me here.

2. The Glatorian and Matoran are going to be fine. _Mostly_.

3. This chapter ends with the cold open of _Go!_, which will take up a majority of the story from here on. I'm doing that weird thing where you transcribe some stuff from scripts and add more to them, so I hope I won't have any trouble. On that note, big thanks to (which I know is gone, but am accessing through the Wayback Machine, believe it or not. I am a horrible person.)

Read and review... I promise! Things get better!


	15. Go! I

**Chapter Two/Fourteen: Go! I**

As night fell on Jump City, four special teenagers moved towards its centre.

The first, Robin, was motoring the R-Cycle into the city proper. As he took the exit off the Dixon Highway into the streets, he smiled. The city was vast and glorious, but had a bit of a rough edge to it. This place was going to be _perfect_.

He pulled over by a dark alley to change into his actual costume and stepped out, reveling in the atmosphere it provided. It looked like he was now Robin, teen Wonder of Jump City. What a great moniker to start-

_WHEE-OOO! WHEE-OOO!_

Oh. The superstitious and cowardly lot. _Right_.

* * *

The second, Garfield, peered out of the window of his bus and grinned. He was finally here! No more parents, no more rules, just a chance to fight crime with his main man Robin and eat some tofu, with some video games on the side. It was a great deal.

* * *

**chicksdigtheEars [cE] began messaging toddlyWonder [tW] at 9:47 pm**

cE: dude IM HERE!

cE: this place is SO AWESOME!  
cE: um..

cE: you here dude?

tW: huh? beast boy?

tW: oh. sorry. i was a bit busy. J

cE: hehehe thats cool

cE: you excited or what?

tW: eh… i kinda have my _own_ job to manage actually.

cE: ?

tW: wayne… enterprises?

cE: oh right!

cE: good luck with that!

cE: mind givin some mojo to the beastmeister bfore he steps off tio find robin?

tW: thanks.

tW: and… good luck?

tW: i dunno, dude. robin literally _just_ arrived. might be hard to corner him.

cE: L

tW: but on the other hand, there IS a burglary going on right now! you should go help!

cE: oh rlly?

cE: sure thing toddman!

tW: heh…

tW: good luck!

**chicksdigtheEars [cE] has left the chat.**

tW: amateur.

* * *

Oh, _boy! _A burglary just as he arrived! That was amazing!

Still giddy with joy, Garfield stepped off the bus and wondered where exactly such a thing might be…

_WHEE-OOO! WHEE-OOO!_

The jewelry store! _Right!_

* * *

The third, Rachel, manifested in a flash of black energy, smiling at her effort. Upon perusal, she appeared to be in a field, the look of which reminding her of a day with her mother at the park. It had been a fun day, the two of the taking some time off to- _No!_

No need to overwhelm herself. She'd literally just arrived in a city, having been struck down by the Justice League. Better to settle down and get her bearings first. Actually, that was a good question- where _would_ she get her bearings? A library? A pub?

The library seemed like a good bet. She called upon her soul self to take her there, ignoring the grating sounds of a-

_WHEE-OOO! WHEE-OOO!_

Hmm. That sounded suspicious. Should she go and see what was going on? She didn't want to ruin everything by losing control of her magic, but-

Oh. It was a crime scene. Probably something to consider checking out.

* * *

The fourth, Victor, parked his car by a restaurant, got up to lean by it, and sighed. He had managed to make it to Jump okay, but there was still the question of what he would find there, and whether he had the resources to do what he wanted. The male had planned to consider applying to a university, but the effort of buying gas and food had depleted what little money he had taken, and for lack of a better term he was broke-

Could he show off his cybernetics? It was a possibility. The freakiness of the metallic parts would probably scare people off, but it would also gain enough interest to get him some tips- although he was a bit nervous about the wrong people finding out. Besides, he was pretty much a freak- that was why he had covered himself up-

_WHEE-OOO! WHEE-OOO!_

What? The police?

He froze, planning to leave, but sighed in relief when he realized they weren't coming for him. He also paled when he saw a burglar coming down the road- freak or not, he had to _do _something!

* * *

The Toyota pulled over by a small overhang, allowing its two occupants to get out. Moving quickly, Deathstroke pulled out a telescope and screen, while Wintergreen produced a small burger- his dinner.

The terminator gazed into the sky and smiled. "Isn't it beautiful, Wintergreen?"

"Why, yes sir, it is!"

"All those stars. Distant worlds, with no way of reaching them."

Wintergreen sighed. "Well, of course we can't, sir, it's bloody impossible at the moment!"

"I know." Deathstroke gestured towards the telescope, grinning. "Look into this."

The butler grumbled and did as requested. The view seemed normal enough- white dots briefly eclipsed by larger yellow ones. "Not much different here, sir…"

"A bit to your right, Wintergreen."

"What's so significant about that, then-" Moving the telescope further, he froze. "That's- a shooting star, isn't it, sir?"

Wilson nodded. "A small piece of space debris, moving swiftly towards Earth. Some would say it's a meteorite." He pointed to the star, a large green dot in the sky. "Don't you see… something different about this one, though?"

"Erm- no? It's just a regular star…"

"_No_, you fool!" The terminator grabbed his butler and waved towards the sky. "It _is_ a star, but much more than that, it is an alien…"

Wintergreen gaped. "An alien? What- makes you say that, sir?"

"People have been talking about aliens for quite some time, but none have managed to find one. They _do _exist; it's just that the Justice League has taken care of them all. Now that the destiny debacle has caused them to split up…"

"You'll be able to take the thing for yourself?"

Deathstroke shook his head. "Contrary, Wintergreen-" He smiled slyly. "_Robin_ will be taking it for himself."

"Why will that be?"

He pointed to the city centre, a giant mass of buildings and roads. "Robin is headed towards the central business district, where most of the crime can be found." Gesturing the butler to take the screen, he put it in his hands and showed the butler his findings. "If my calculations are correct, the alien will be landing… about here! The boy will be right in the crossroads, and then-"

"He'll be ours!" Wintergreen clapped his hands. "Brilliant deduction, sir!"

Deathstroke smiled. "Yes. Quite brilliant." He took out a strange mask from the trunk of the car and put it on. "Call me Slade for now, Wintergreen. I don't think the son of the World's Greatest Detective will react very well to the name Deathstroke."

The Englishman saluted. "Right away, sir- Slade!"

The two packed away their things and got back into the Toyota. "This is going to be amazing, Wintergreen," Slade mused. "The son of the Boy Wonder, right at our fingertips; and if we play our cards right, the alien will be too. I think this is the start of a beautiful relationship."

"Yes, yes it is!" The two laughed maniacally as they drove off.

* * *

Lewa yawned, opening his eyes, and smiled. He had had a good nap, but it was now night, the time where he was obligated to fly down below and help the populace. Despite never being in the superhero business, he had made quite a name for himself over the last three days; the media had taken to calling him The Bionicle, a name that he grudgingly accepted. It wasn't _exactly_ what he'd had in mind, but it would work.

The types of crime that he had seen during his tenure were very bizarre; to say the least- he had fought a mad ninja, a stocky grandma who could pack a punch, a green cybernetic alien who was surprisingly not his clone, an overly peppy jester, and an angry card-themed thug. The variety was refreshing, and certainly beat a sextet of villains who could only be defeated by collecting objects and going underground, but the Toa yearned for something more _his_ type- just the mundane old criminal, nothing too serious-

_WHEE-OOO! WHEE-OOO!_

Oh- that was interesting!

Lewa peered down at the source of the noise and was surprised to see it was just as he'd hoped- an average-sized male creature was running down a road, outmatching a poliz car with a large sack in tow. A burglar? That seemed easy enough. He quickly stood up, readied himself to jump, and cast off, using the Miru to steady his fall. Warrior landed right in front of criminal- it seemed he wasn't too interested in him, though. What a shame. Lewa moved to get his attention but stopped when a dark shadow moved over the two of them.

"Huh?"

The man was right. What was up with that? Makuta?

No, it didn't seem to be- the shadow moved through the sky and dissolved into a nearby alleyway. The burglar pulled out a crowbar- why did _everyone_ here have Toa Tools - and brandished it, obviously hoping to take the thing out. Before he could move a muscle, however, a small metal thing _zoomed_ through the air and took the crowbar with a _clang_. Hoping to be helpful, Lewa quickly caught the thing.

The criminal seemed nervous, backing away hesitantly. "I-I don't want trouble, okay?"

Bad move. Before the two's eyes, a black blur dropped into the alley. Turning to see what it was, he was quickly overwhelmed by a giant bat, squeaking violently as it flew towards him. The burglar moved to protect himself, but was quickly scared by _another_ blur.

"You should've thought of that before you committed the crime."

Charging out of the darkness, the source of the voice, a boy in a costume, jumped up and high-kicked the man back. He ran towards the kid, venom in his eyes, but Lewa was quick to intercept him, blocking the criminal's furious punches before giving him a good kick in the chest, taking him down.

The Toa smiled. "Hey, need a hand?"

The boy obviously could not reply, but he seemed to accept Lewa's presence. Nodding, he quickly bounded off a wall, flying over the criminal's shoulders, and grabbed them in a body slam. Before the man could react, he dragged him off the ground and threw him into the wall. It seemed he was fully knocked out. Lewa walked towards him hesitantly, trying to figure out if he was okay.

The criminal did not like this. "_Hey!_" he yelled. "This isn't your town! Aren't you supposed to be with-"

The boy moved closer as well. "Just moved here. From now on, I work alone-" he looked at the Toa- "or, on occasion, in a teamup."

Lewa turned to the boy. "Wow. Was that awesome or what?"

The boy did not respond. Scanning him over, the warrior realized that this actually _was_ a hero. He had on a red and yellow tunic and green leggings- looked like a traffic light, now that Lewa thought about it- and a black cape. His hands and feet were covered by green gloves and black boots. A mask covered his face- _that_ was a shame, but his spiky hairdo and the fact that he was shorter than him made up for that.

Trying to strike up a conversation, the Toa gestured frantically, trying to convey his earlier thoughts.

"Hey," the hero finally said. He smiled. "Do you… speak English?"

Lewa frowned and gestured further.

"Oh. Guess you don't." The creature put out his hand. "Robin. And you are…"

Acknowledging the offer, Lewa went for a fistbump, which the hero at first did not realize but later returned. He himself began gesturing as well. "Huh- you're that new hero, aren't you? The one everyone's been talking about?"

"I- guess so-"

_Whooooosh!_

A bright green streak flew through the sky above the city, illuminating the dark alleyway. Lewa and Robin looked to it and gaped. "Woah," the Toa said as it disappeared behind one. "Is that…"

_BOOOOOM!_

They both froze, taking in a sudden emerald glare. "Guess not. Do you think we should-"

Robin's eyes narrowed, taking in the scene. He all but disappeared, pulling out a rope and tying the burglar up before climbing over a wall.

Lewa looked at the burglar and frowned. _That_ was peculiar. "Are _all _your Toa-heroes like that, burglar-villain?"

Queasy from being hung upside down, the man was unable to answer. "_Uhnnnn…._"

"Nevermind, then." Running after the hero, Lewa hoisted himself over the wall and was gone.

* * *

The sky was bright. Tanika winced at the strain on her eyes, but quickly ignored it. They all had to _PAY_.

Climbing out of the crater that she had formed, the girl coughed through the smoke, climbed to the top of the rubble, and took in her surroundings. It seemed she had landed in a city, buildings, roads and vehicles in the immediate vicinity. Several creatures had come out of the vehicles and were staring at her hesitantly. Tanika growled at this new obstacle, deftly sliding off the rubble. "Slopforn ivortnat! Slopforn! _Ond gudshik zerrole!_"

A male was trying to corner her with some sort of capturing device, one of the few people who had not been scared off by her yelling. She raised a starbolt to protect herself, but the device quickly flashed; closing her eyes in pain, she quickly reopened then and began swinging her arms, screaming loudly as she did so. The onlookers at first began to back away, but were soon running for cover once she _pounded_ the pavement.

_She wouldn't STAND for this_.

A small yellow vehicle was parked by the building; Tanika quickly disabled it with a harsh punch. Moving toward the establishment, she began to punch again, taking out a metallic booth, a bench, and a few lights. Some more onlookers, on top of the building this time, looked at her hesitantly. She frowned, pulling her arms to try and get her cuffs off. Why were they so _stubborn_? Had her attack _really _frightened the Gordanians _that_ much? _Ugh!_

The exile looked around, trying to find something to break them off. Surely these structures were _somewhat_ hard. The building seemed to have some- _Aha_! A pillar! She flew towards the thing, and swiftly punched it; despite her hardest efforts, the floor shaking and the pillar crumbling to reveal its dented inner core, the damn things would _just not budge_. She tried again anyway.

"_Zop!_" _PUNCH_. "_Yark_!" _PUNCH. _"_Mesnef!_" _PUNCH_.

With each hit, the column began to steadily weaken; after the last, it gave way entirely, causing the balcony to fracture and tilt towards the street and scare the onlookers. The cuffs were still not off, though. She inhaled hard and prepared to swing again, but was-

ZOOM_!_

A small metal bird flew towards her. Could this be a chance to free herself? Tanika rushed towards the weapon, but it smashed into her crown and knocked her off balance. Stopping to catch her breath, she looked at the source of this obstacle and _growled_, eyes blazing.

A spiky-haired boy stood on the roof of a nearby car and smiled. Preparing to take this new girl on, he was quickly unnerved when a small robot jumped up beside him.

"Sorry I'm late!" it gestured. "You ran off and left before I could get the chance to talk to you!"

"I wasn't expecting you to follow me," the boy returned.

"Well…" the robot grinned. "That's kind of my thing! Running after people and helping them!" He turned to the damage. "Who do you think _did_ all that? I've got my suspicions that it might be-"

The boy scowled. "Good question. Who _are_ you?"

Before the robot could answer, Tanika leaped towards the car, readying herself to crush the boy; thankfully, he was quickly saved with a shield. Another swing was mitigated by the two jumping out of the way, landing on the street in a skid.

"Thanks," the boy gestured.

"Don't mention it! It's what I do." The robot smiled, but quickly froze.

"Wait," he thought, "is that- _TANIKA!_"

* * *

"Yeahs, I knows what's you're alls thinkin'," Jone'z said. "'Why're we heres?'" he continued, adapting a child-like voice. "'Why haven'ts the big scary lizards takens us back to their home planets?'"

"Why _haven't_ you?"

"I knows! Well…" the Gordanian explained. "sees, I don't thinks you're guiltys of helpings the rutan'gah. You were withs mes, after alls. I figures I should helps you out and takes you back."

Malum frowned. "But you said you take _everyone_. Why won't you experiment on us?"

Jone'z sighed. "Truths be tolds, roboman, I'm kinda tireds of thats sorta thing. Gets pretty olds after a whiles. Methinks the others'll be the lasts."

Akhmou beamed. "Really?"

"Yeahs! I wanted to talks to Tro'gaars about-" He froze. "Oh, Zorg! Gotta get backs to the ships!" He bolted off, but not before violently hugging the two. "I'll see youse all laters! Have funs!"

"Well," the Glatorian whispered. "That's it. They're all gone."

"Huh. You'd figure an alien invasion would be more… aggressive."

Malum thought over this. "Guess they only wanted their girl after all. Say… what do we do now? I don't know if we'll be able to keep walking…"

"We gotta find Toa Lewa!" Akhmou cried.

"What? Why? Isn't he dead?"

"He may very well be," a new voice said, "but I am sure further questing will show he is not."

"Turaga Vakama!"

"Fire robot! Huh! Why're you here?"

"I had come to inspect the remaining pool of protodermis after the Gordanians last used it," Vakama drawled. "It seems they have had mercy on you!" He smiled. "I have no doubt this relates to your destiny."

The Glatorian scowled. "What _about_ our destiny?"

"Do you not think it odd that they would leave you two behind, but not the Tajunan or the Tesaran?"

"No… why?" Akhmou panicked. "Do we have to keep walking?"

"Somewhat," Vakama said. "Jone'z is a very generous man, I am sure he knew you two would be something special.

"So?"

_WHACK!_ "Do _not _backtalk your Turaga!"

"Sorry."

The Turaga sighed and continued. "This stock protodermis is one of the last, deftly preserved by the Great Beings. You are the last remaining threats to Spherus Magna. It is not a stretch to assume there is a correlation."

The Vorox Chief hummed. "So you're saying that we should…"

"Yes. Go in the protodermis. Find your destiny. It will serve you well."

"But it's _protodermis_, Turaga! What if it does… weird things to me? What about him?"

"There is no use second-guessing it," Vakama noted. "Destiny must sometimes be found through a leap of faith, for fear of not finding it at all." He turned towards the altar. "Now if you will excuse me, I must examine these interesting murals…"

"So," Akhmou asked, trembling, "should we do it?"

Malum sat for a while, pondering, then smiled. He had made up his mind.

"Malum?"

Swiftly picking up the Matoran, the Glatorian ran to the edge of the pool then stopped. Akhmou looked up at him nervously.

"What… we _are_? Are you _crazy_?"

"Crazy enough to listen to an embittered old crone," Malum remarked. "'Sides, I'd take bathing in a gamble liquid over walking in the desert with you any given day."

"But… the Vorox?" The conman pouted. "You're stupid."

"I know." With that, he held his breath and jumped in, letting the silvery water cover the two of them. It picked at them, tearing the two apart… but both were too preoccupied to care. Malum was thinking over his promise to one of his men, and Akhmou was too jittery over what his destiny might be. Neither one noticed as the protodermis disintegrated them and threw them into the abyss.

* * *

Lewa's first glimpse at the threat had been too far off to care, but now that it lay in front of him, he could plainly tell that this was his friend. He frantically tried to get her attention to no avail; the girl was well and fully sunk in her anger. What a shame.

She was still for a while, unnerving the two; then, without a warning, she was off, launching furious roundhouse kicks at Robin. The Toa sent bursts of wind in her direction in an effort to stop her, but she simply kept going, pushing her target down the street in sporadic blasts of green. Lewa sighed. If anything were going to get her attention, it would have to be talking…

"Tanika!" he cried. "It's me! Lewa! Your heart-friend!"

The alien briefly looked at him and harrumphed.

"You know! We speak-talked in the cave! Heart-promise made! I'm trying to shield-protect you!"

"If you wanted to protect me," Tanika finally said, "you should not have been the able to die." Then she was off, attempting to kill the hero again.

Lewa winced. Hurtful.

Robin didn't seem to care, though. Leaping high above the girl, he reached into his belt and pulled out some weird… plastic things, which flew into her face and deftly exploded. The Toa frowned at the boy. Had he actually killed her? If he was a hero, would he not follow the Toa Code?

Robin smirked. "Grenades. Always carry 'em around for times like this."

The Toa exhaled and turned to a passing alleyway, looking for a way to stop the rampaging alien. He was quite surprised, though, to find that a blue-hooded girl stood impassively, watching the fight in boredom. He looked at her questioningly, only to receive a small shrug in return.

As the smoke from the grenades cleared, the duo took a moment to rest, the hero smiling at his handiwork. "If I'm right," he gestured to Lewa, "these should've taken her out. Don't worry. I'm not going to kill her."

The Toa sighed in relief, manipulating the air to remove some smoke, but gasped- Tanika hadn't been harmed at all! As the collapse of the column showed, the girl looked to have taken some damage from the smoke, but otherwise it seemed nothing had happened…

Oh. And she was still very, _very_ angry.

"But- I didn't mean to the die!" Lewa pleaded. "I speak-told you, it was protodermis! You don't exactly learn-know!"

"_Do not give me the excuses!_" the girl barked. "You cannot be here. The Gordanians explicitly _killed_ you. The only way I can be the talking to you," she continued, picking up a nearby car, "is if you are the clone. And that seems quite viable."

The Toa frowned. "I'm not a clone! Please! I've had to deal with that kind of ruckus enough as is. Look- Tanika- trust me, I'm in the flesh. I should know… I've _been_ through the stuff before!"

She screamed, kicking up the car so that it would rotate. "_I am not the listening!_" And then, just as it was about to hit the asphalt, she kicked it _at_ them.

_She kicked a car at them._

That was honestly a bit outlandish.

It flew towards their faces, wind screaming as it did so. Acting on instinct, Lewa grabbed Robin's neck and threw them both down. The action was taken not a moment too soon, as the car _flew_ over them, hit a building at a distant intersection, and exploded.

Robin eyed the explosion and gaped. " Hm. Stronger than she looks." He turned to Lewa. "You know her?"

"A- bit," the Toa admitted. "Not very well."

"Makes me wonder why you couldn't calm her down- WOAH!"

Eyes bugging out, the hero gasped as he was struck in the jaw, skidding a few feet away. Lewa attempted to intercept her, but the girl quickly slammed him down. Helpless on the floor, the warrior saw her jumping for Robin and winced. "Brother- heads up!"

The hero nodded. "I've got it!" He dove away from his spot and sublimely got to his feet, pulling out a long metal staff that Lewa assumed was his Toa Tool- wait, hadn't he seen the thing before? In a dream, maybe? He struggled to remember, but was quickly distracted by the two's fight. In a swift motion obviously indicating experience, Robin jumped at his enemy, pulled his staff back, and landed a solid shot on her, sending her into a car a good fifty yards back. Brandishing the tool again, he smiled, aiming to take the girl on once more- but it crumbled to dust, leaving him defenseless.

"Huh? How did that happen?"

Lewa cringed. "I- don't know! I never _fought_ her before… what do we do?

"I don't know," Robin answered, "but whatever it is, we'd better act fast, before-"

Too late. Smiling maliciously, Tanika pulled herself out from some wreckage. The Toa tried to get her to calm down again. "Sister- stop being so angry-mad! Have some thought-sense!"

"Sense? What sense? You left me to be _captured_."

"What?" Lewa gaped. "No I didn't!"

Tanika wrung out her head. "Like I said before; I am _not listening_." She smirked. "_Zota_."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

Before the Toa could get an answer, the girl quickly wrung him up. She leapt towards Robin, aiming to finish him off…

_RAM!_

And was intercepted at the last moment, a green blur knocking her out of the way.

Lewa looked on at this and frowned- it wasn't very clear at first, but it seemed a _kikanalo_ had done the deed. Why was it here- weren't people taking care of it? Why had it decided to ram into Tanika? And most importantly, why was it _green?_

The Rahi trotted towards Robin, as did Lewa, and it quickly changed to a humanlike form. Oh- that made sense! He looked more like an elf than he let on- green skin, fangs, pointy ears, impish form, and a goofy magenta and black outfit with the silliest of masks. How could he be a hero? The kid looked way too young to be doing so, way too immature- and he was _saluting _Robin! Seriously, what?

"Ex-Doom Patrol member Beast Boy, sir! How can I help?" He gasped, apparently realizing who he was talking to, and began to melt. "Wowzers! You're _Robin_, aren't you, sir?" He seemed to realize whom Lewa was, too, turning to him as well. "And you're that new hero everyone's been talkin' about- the Bionicle!" He eagerly shook the twos' hands. "Jeepers, it's great to meet you both!"

Lewa frowned at Robin. "Who is this?"

"Beast Boy, apparently. Don't ask me who he is- I've never worked with the Doom Patrol."

Beast Boy grinned. "Yup, Beast Boy! That's me! Hehehe. Like I said, I can't believe I'm meeting you, sir-"

Robin scowled. "Well, you can _start_ by not calling me 'sir.'"

The boy briefly lost his composure, but was quick to regain it, saluting even harder (if that was even possible.)

"Let me just say that it's a real honour to be-"

Lewa looked towards the pizza parlor and gaped. Oh no. She couldn't have survived _that_, let alone not be _hurt_ by it. Then again, though, she _did _resist a few explosions…

He turned to the elf and gently tapped him on his shoulder.

The boy beamed, now frantically gesturing back. "Oh, yeah! Yes, sir?"

The Toa sighed and pointed off into the distance, where it appeared Tanika was attempting to lift. A bus. And potentially kill them all.

* * *

It begins!

This chapter was another _very_ difficult one to write, because of the pains of the whole language barrier thing. I don't think Lewa had a Great Rau, did he?

1. Ah Slade, I'd forgotten how manipulating you were.

2. If it isn't clear, Lewa and Robin are signing. There's some implied difficulty in the two understanding each other, but I think Robin'd know at least a _bit_ of sign language. Doesn't come off too well, right?

3. Malum and Akhmou don't find Lewa from the beginning. That would be boring.

Also, is it preferable to use episode titles as chapter titles or just make up your own? I'm quite curious.

Read and review!


	16. Go! II

**Chapter Three/Fifteen: Go! II**

The zorfnog had hit her. It angered Tanika to no end. She figured a large vehicle was a good way to off the clorbags.

* * *

"_MOVE!_"

They were going to be crushed. With the speed of a Gukko bird, Lewa bolted off, taking Robin with him; the bus crashed not a moment later, skidding down the street. The Toa sighed, wiping his face. That was close-

Oh, _come ON!_ _ANOTHER_ one?

It was a smaller one this time, but at the same time, it was still a bus! This one was headed straight for Robin. The girl was _mad_.

"Have any bright ideas?" he asked.

Lewa frowned. "Well… I have a mask… but I'm not sure it will…"

"Use it _now!_"

"Okay, okay! No need to be so edgy."

He sighed and switched to his Pakari, reacting just in time to pick the massive hunk of metal up- and boy, was it heavy! This surprised the Toa- his mask _was_ a lot weaker than Onua's, but it theoretically should have been able to pick up nearly anything… or maybe he had just never tried. Too late to tell.

Lewa hoisted the bus high above him and grinned. "How's _that_ for not listening, anger-sister?"

On the other side of the street, Beast Boy gulped. "Uh, sir? Might want to be careful…"

"Ah, don't worry! I'll be fine-"

Spoke too soon. The weight on his body had forced him to walk a little more than he'd liked- and, as all experiments go, he had to fall, the culprit being a small grey pebble. He frantically waved his body, trying to keep upright, but it was no use- crashing to the ground, the bus flew away from him towards the green male's face. Thankfully, a mysterious bystander was around to help- jumping in front of Beast Boy, he reached out and _grabbed_ the thing, catching it and digging his heels into the asphalt to slow the inevitable skid. It didn't last long, though, as the bystander was soon able to lift the bus up and hoist it himself.

Now that the chaos had cleared, Lewa was able to get a look at this new savior. He dressed surprisingly simple for someone who appeared to be superhuman- a grey hood and black leggings. From little could be seen under the hood, he appeared to have a glowing red eye, which greatly dulled his brown skin, and a massive, hulking figure. A Glat- alright, the Toa wasn't going to make that assumption anymore! It didn't matter, anyway- the man quickly threw the bus away, kicking up dust that obscured him again. When the dust finally cleared, he took the time to speak.

"Yo! Who's here messing up my neighbourhood?"

"He started it!" Beast Boy whined, pointing to the group's oncoming destruction. Obviously attempting to kill them, Tanika walked towards the quarter, stopping and smiling then bringing her arms up and-

**_WHUMMMMM!_**

Okay this really had to stop.

The resulting tremor was so powerful that it nearly knocked everyone off their feet, collision with the ground only saved by a rapidly produced air cushion. As if that could be considered consolation- the attack had also broken off the large hand coverings on her cuffs, leaving her free to use her powers at will… and so she did. Pointing her arms towards the boys, two bursts of green energy appeared.

"What-"

"Cool!"

"Oh Karz. We're dead-sunk."

* * *

The air was warm, fresh, and seemed to smell distinctively of corn. As a matter of fact, it _felt _like he was lying on corn, too- wait, _WHAT_?

Malum opened his eyes, quickly shot up, and gaped.

They _definitely _weren't in Kansas anymore… in the context of the movie, anyway.

This time he was the first to wake up; his diminutive Matoran companion slept peacefully a few metres away. The Glatorian frowned. He wasn't going to be the only one to experience this... but he _did_ want to spend some time _away_ from the annoying pest, though. Making a decision, he slowly stood up (a difficult task when the floor is made of plants) and walked off.

Akhmou breathed softly, waking up. "Malum?" he croaked.

Huh. Guess he wasn't here. Too bad.

Wanting to maximize the time he spent sleeping, the conman fell onto a leaf of corn and was soon back in Slumberland.

* * *

This place sucked.

Malum had been walking for a good twenty minutes, and all he had seen was _corn_. Corn, corn, _CORN_. Normally this would be a big thing, given the previous state of vegetation on his planet, but the literal _invasion _of the plant was just making him sick.

So sick in fact, that he was about to throw up- thankfully, he was quickly saved from this grisly fate by spotting a small white cube in the distance. Figuring it might be important, the Vorox chief began walking towards it, making sure to keep his mouth and nose covered.

* * *

The _Stormfront _once again cruised through the inky black reaches of space, cutting through swathes of debris on the way to the Citadel. The Lord gazed out his window and smiled. The rutan'gah had been recaptured and restrained even harder than before, the army had picked up a few new prisoners, a new resource had been found, on a once-destroyed planet at that, and they were on route to reach the place ahead of schedule. Best of all, it looked like the Lady wanted to have dinner with him soon. Everything was coming up Trog'aar-

"_My Lord!_"

Oh. Not _quite_ yet.

"What is it?" he snapped.

"The girl has-"

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! _The ruler's lavish grey quarters began to flash a deep red.

"Escaped?"

The officer sighed. "Yes- she just smashed out of her cell and began to…"

**_BOOOOM!_**

"That." He winced. "Sorry, My Lord, it was unintention…"

Trog'aar looked confused. "_Again? _Surely you did not account to the full extent of the rutan'gah's powers?"

"We did! The men took care to calibrate the inhibitor cuffs so that she would not be able to fight, and we had kept her isolated and highly guarded, but for some reason she suddenly started screaming and gained the ability to beat us…"

"Oh." The Lord frowned. "That is highly unnerving." He turned to his intercom. "No worries, though. This time, I will make _sure_ she does no harm. Sheltered or not."

"But if she managed to get out like that-"

"I have plans," he smiled, picking the communicator up. "_People of Gordania!_ It appears…" sigh- "the rutan'gah has escaped again, if the recent explosion did not make you aware." Faint laughing could be heard. "I urge you not to panic, though! Our recent excursion to Spherus Magna enabled us to find a brand new substance, one that has been tried and tested to be true… please stay calm, and we will have her back on board and in the Citadel promptly. Trog'aar out."

The officer cringed. "My Lord- we do not even know _where_ she has gone-"

"And I fully intend to find out," Trog'aar said, touching a monitor a few times.

"_Enter inquiry now_," a robotic female voice called.

"Ah, yes. Location of rutan'gah Koryand'r, princess of Tamaran, Felinus Galaxy, sector 46812."

"_Locating_."

The alien smiled at his troop. "I assure you, the protodermis will be enough to find her no matter _which_ hunk of rock fate has taken her to-"

"_Location acquired,_" the computer said."_Current rutan'gah_ _position: _'Jump City', _planet _Earth, Milky Way _Galaxy_, _sector _2814."

Trog'aar gaped. "_Earth?_" He laughed at the officer. "This will be too easy! All we must do is stride up to their supreme ruler and politely order them to give her up- we may not even need to _destroy_ them!"

"Even if there is much protection?"

"I have heard much regaling of their hero, 'Superman'. He says he has disbanded his team. We should have no issue."

The officer frowned again. "Even if they come to this 'Jump City' to fight us?"

Trog'aar picked up a shining silver stone and smiled. "As I said- the protodermis will be enough. _Trust_ _me_."

* * *

_FWIPFWIPFWIPFWIPFWIPFWIPFWIP FWIPFWIPFWIPFWIPFWIP_

Later bystanders, reporters, and even the odd officer would report that this was pretty much the loudestpart of the event by _far_, even counting the many crashes and the reptile alien's booming voice. "The damn things just kept _coming_," remarked an ersatz policeman. "It was beautiful. I cried."

Being in the line of fire, Lewa, Robin, Beast Boy, and the hooded hero were quickly overwhelmed by a barrage of starbolts that covered them in smoke. The spheres flew pretty erratically, but one huge one was poised to vaporize them instantly- the Toa quickly blocked it with a well-timed shield. "What _are_ those?" Robin asked.

"Star… bolts," Lewa replied. "Her weapons. We better run."

"Good idea."

As soon as he took down the shield, citing a lack of energy, the group bolted for another place to hide. Tanika quickly followed them, throwing more of the green balls at them while deftly strafing the area as she went along. The mood was tense, all running at full speed, but as the saying goes, those who rise must quickly fall (Beast Boy almost got his foot shot off.) Starbolts smashed into anything and everything around them, including surrounding buildings, parked cars, random equipment, and a neon billboard advertising "Jordan-Os." In the midst of smoke and flames, the girl stopped to catch her breath and weakly fell to her knees, allowing the boys to take cover behind the now ignited remains of the bus.

"Girl's gonna… wreck the whole city," the hooded man commented.

"I won't let her." Robin growled and punched an open palm. "I _won't _lose this fight!" He turned to Lewa. "Any bright ideas?"

"N…none. Already told you I never fought her before…" The Toa sighed, leaning against a clean section and putting his mask in his hands. "We might as well throw ourselves in Karzahni," he moaned. "No hope for us."

Feeling bad for the robot, Beast Boy eagerly threw an arm around his shoulder. "Don't worry, sir! I just _know _we're gonna win! Right, s- Robin?"

"Not too sure about that either. The best decision at this point is honestly to flee, so… yeah."

The group quickly took off running again, only to be stopped in their tracks by a giant barrier of black energy. Trying to see what it was, Beast Boy put a small finger out, only to scream in pain as he was thrown back. The vantage point, however, allowed him to see what exactly caused that effect, and he soon grinned. "Woah! That's _amazing!_"

A giant black bird, made out of the same energy as the barrier, had emerged, flapping its wings and occupying a huge portion of the block. At a nearby sidewalk, a small wisp of the stuff rose and resolved itself into the same person Lewa had seen earlier, only not in the dark; with a black glossy leotard and blue boots and a cloak, her outfit screamed witch. Her pale lilac skin, amethyst hair and eyes, and small curvy figure only confirmed this. The kicker was her monotone voice, sounding more like technology than magic: "Maybe fighting _isn't_ the answer."

Dispelling the apparition, revealing Tanika to be on her knees bearing smoking hands, she turned to the group and frowned.

"I-I didn't mean it," the Toa gestured.

"Don't play that game," the witch growled. "I can understand you just fine."

Lewa beamed. "Oh, really? What about the others?"

She sighed. "All… right. Forget them. I think you should go and talk to her," she said, pointing to the alien.

"If everyone's heart-okay with that…"

They were all staring at him.

He threw up his arms in exasperation. "Okay, okay! Jeez, talk about sky-high expectations."

The girl was fairly weak, but seemed to acknowledge Lewa's presence just fine.

"I'm- Tanika," he began. "I'll stop fighting if you heart-promise not to go all cross-wired on us again. Is that… okay with you?"

The Tamaranean sneered at him, growling and making her eyes glow.

"O… kay then!" Lewa winced and turned to the witch. "Well, _that_ went well."

"I think it might be better if _I_ try," Robin said, looking at the downed girl. "Stand down."

The hooded man glowered at this, crossing his arms. "What do you think, you the boss or something?"

"Just give me a chance."

He slowly walked through the battleground, not taking his eyes off Tanika the whole time. When he got close enough, she managed to haul herself up, moving towards her with her fists green and actually scaring him into moving _back_ a few yards.

"Gokta!" she called.

"Easy," the Boy Wonder stated. "My name is… Robin, and I don't want to hurt you." As the girl held him to the brink, breathing increasingly shallow, he reached into his utility belt and pulled something out. What it was ended up being quickly overshadowed.

Tanika leaned into Robin's face. "Goktha! Goktha buhovna!"

Her fists were right up against his nose, but the boy managed to keep his cool, holding up a lockpick and smiling widely. "It's okay. Look!"

Calming herself down as well, the alien allowed him to use the tool, arms being pushed down so that it could work. A few slow moving seconds later, her cuffs clanged on the ground, Robin moving his feet back to keep the metal from crushing him. Tanika gingerly massaged her wrists and gave a small smile.

"There. Now maybe we can be- _URK!_"

To the hero's surprise, she grabbed him by the collar of his tunic, closed her eyes, and _kissed_ him, the effect being mind-blowing enough to cause him to drop the pick. As the two pulled away, the eyes opened, now fully green again. To his surprise, though, the girl quickly glowered again and pushed him in the chest-

_WHUMP!_

Onto his back.

"If you do not wish to be destroyed," she growled, "you will LEAVE ME _ALONE!_"

With that she was off, a green light flying off into the thick fabric of the night.

The five other teenagers looked at each other confusingly then turned to Lewa; the Toa simply shrugged and scrunched his lips in thought. Beast Boy smiled and turned to the hooded man, holding up a hand. "So… I'm Beast Boy. Who are you?"

* * *

The cube appeared to be a house, an island alone in a repulsive sea of corn; this would be a good thing for Malum, except the air _now_ smelled of strange animals and their… ew. No. He took a deep breath, puffing his cheeks, walked up the stairs to its porch, and knocked on the creaky wooden door.

It took a while, the silence that ensued briefly being broken by what appeared to be fighting, but soon enough, a small old stocky lady appeared, pale smooth skin and pink dress a huge contrast to the Glatorian's tall figure, rough red skin, and black polished armour.

She beamed. "Oh, hello there! You a friend of Superman's?"

* * *

"So, the way I understand it," Jonathan Kent said as he picked at the mashed potatoes on his plate, "you jumped into a pool of something called 'protodermis'… before skin, that's odd… and woke up in our cornfield a little while later. Are we getting this down correctly?"

Malum nodded. He obviously couldn't speak their language, a weird mix of consonants and shouting, so the two parties had had to resort to sign language. While the thought of such simple people using such a high-concept language was strange to him, the Glatorian ignored it for the sake of convenience- it was easier to write their dialogue, the Chronicler added.

The man frowned and took a big swig of milk. "Huh. Can't say I've ever heard _that_ story before." He guffawed. "I'm one to talk, though! Martha and I raised Superman as a baby, and _he_ came in a space rocket from a dying planet of powered people!"

"Don't confuse the Glatorian, dear," the woman warned as she brought in some salad.

"Right, Martha, right. Newcomers always need to go to the Superman museum! Best place for his history in the world, I've always said."

The Kents had taken Malum in on the condition that he had absolutely no idea where to go, and was going to pass out if he stayed outside any longer. They were the textbook definition of a happily married couple; Jon, the man, was a former archaeologist, and had retired to work on his father's old farm and study new finds. Martha, the mother, once copyedited stories for the a newspaper called the _Daily Star_, before moving to the town they were in, Smallville, so that she could support the farm and her husband. The stability of their engagement, again, baffled the Vorox chief, he having only known hasty alliances, strife, and fights, but he accepted it as being another strange quirk of these people. Mata Nui couldn't _possibly_ have come here.

He sighed, ate some of the family's homecooked spaghetti, and began to sign. "Do… you know… where we can find… Toa Lewa?"

Martha frowned. "Toa Lewa? Never heard of him. Anything out of you, Jon?"

"Not that I know of… Hey, Malum, d'you mind turnin' on the TV? Might be able to find something there." He tossed him the remote. "Here, this should help you switch channels. They're different forms of programming, natch."

Malum thanked the man and walked over to the contraption, sitting down on a couch and locating the button needed to turn it on. The thing seemed old, but worked surprisingly well given as such; whether his opinion was because of the Great Beings' faulty technology or not he did not know.

With a burst of static, the TV exploded into life, speakers blurting out audio from different feeds.

"Oh, Maria! I can't belive it's _finally_ you!"

"Yes, Ben… Let us sink into the gem of marriage, together in each other's arms!"

The Glatorian cringed. "What… is this?"

Martha quickly ran over. "Oh, that's just my old soap opera! Ignore it… I think the news channel's around here somewhere…"

Working in tandem, the two began pressing buttons to find any sort of clue on the missing Toa.

"_NO!_ Chica, I will not stand for this stupid, _stupid_ white boy… Look! His skin! It reeks of colonization and filth-"

"Waking up at the start of winter, the grizzly bear works to find food that he might feel helpful in building a reserve stock. Despite the cold and blustery conditions, it can-"

"In a shocking new development last night, the Justice League has revealed it will _not_ be taking a stance on any new alien invasions. At an impromptu press conference aboard the team's watchtower, member Wonder Woman revealed-"

"Ugh, this is _so_ not aster."

"What'd you _think_ it was, Boy Blunder? Happiness and the smell of rainbows?"

"Well- not _exactly-_"

"-As a previous incident apparently showed, the outcomes of any future large-scale events might be too _important_ for them to influence. Leaguer Martian Manhunter had this to say."

"We are building our platform on the concept of destiny. Destiny, in its most pure form, is a very fragile thing- so fragile that it can-"

"You need to take 2 teaspoons of butter, a spoonful of sugar, and some milk into a container and mix them around. If you do it- correctly, with the proper tools, you'll eventually get something like this-"

"Ha ha ha! I tell you what, Ted, I think it was good for the lot of us to get away from the team business for a while. Too much stress and fighting and appropriation and-"

"It appears a brand _new_ hero has burst onto the scene! A mundane robbery at a jewelry store in Jump City was rightly spiced up by the appearance of a robotic warrior wielding the element of wind. Dubbed Bionicle by the authorities, the lime-green mean machine has taken to protecting the city on his lonesome, using his powers to take out such threats as the Royal Flush Gang, Braniac 5, and Harley Quinn, lively henchwoman of the Joker-"

"Well played, Fluttershy. I don't think Twilight Sparkle will realize a _thing-_"

"Oh, I don't _know_. Do you really suppose this is such a good idea?"

"Trust me, my little pony. I've had _tons_ of good ideas over the past two thousandish years, and this is definitely one of my better-"

"GO BACK!"

"What? You found something?"

Malum tapped the remote. "Yes, one channel back. I think I might have…"

"Alright. I'll trust you. But just keep this in mind- you lay one slimy claw on Twilight, and I swear I'll-"

"-Wherein the beachfront city previously had _none_. In an exclusive interview, the hero revealed his intentions and what he plans to do for the county, as shown now."

"Um- I don't know- I've never… done the hero business before, but it could be fun. At the very least, it will be something to do- until- I get- sort of get- my life back together."

"Fascinating! In other juicy superhero-related news, it appears Robin, Batman's birdy sidekick, has gone _missing_- reports of the Dark Knight have indicated he is not there with him, and Bruce Wayne, the hero's representative, hasn't been so positive on the issue either. Rumours are sketchy, but some have said he may have retired to Jump _as well_- may be for a vacation, may have left in a spat… who knows? All that's really important is that in the future we may just be seeing a Boy Elemental teamup. That's all for right now, fans- I'm Sasha Tomlinson, returning back to studio for the headlines."

Jon gaped at the report. "That him?"

"Yes…" Malum sighed. "I didn't know he'd started using weird gestures and _fighting_, but that is Toa Lewa!"

"Funny of him to be in Jump, and for that matter possibly Robin. City'd been pretty quiet for the past twenty or so years. I wonder if something's going on there- might be pretty interesting."

Martha smiled. "_Everything's_ interesting when you raised the prototypical flying brick as a son!"

"Yeah, yeah," the Kent spat. "He didn't save us from all those creepy aliens for nothin'..."

Turning away from the conversation, the Glatorian stared out the window and gazed at the stars. _That_ had been quick- he hadn't expected to figure out Lewa's status within the first week, let alone the first _day_. Still, a find was a find- and it was something he could potentially build on very very quick. Akhmou would _have_ to know.

* * *

The hooded man frowned. "Well, whoever she was… the girl sure knows how to make an impression."

"I think we made a pretty good impression," Beast Boy chirruped. "Crazy space girl's gone, the city's saved, mission accomplished. Right, sirs?"

Lewa opened his mouth to counter this, but stopped and sighed. "No… no we have not. At least I don't think so."

"Seriously, stop calling me that!" Robin added.

The kid saluted the both of them. "Roger!"

The Boy Wonder growled and began to walk off. "Looks like we're done here." He turned to the others. "I appreciate the help."

The witch scoffed. "You're gonna track down the alien?"

"I have to find out if she's a threat."

The man chuckled and leaned over to the girl. "More like find out if she'll give him another kiss."

"But-"

The Toa walked up to Robin.

"Brother. Please. She is not a threat."

"She tried to kill us with vehicles on multiple occasions. I'd say that's a pretty big indicator."

"But I KNOW her. She _wouldn't_."

"Seemed pretty deadset on ignoring you," the hero added.

Lewa froze, breath caught up. "N- all right… if you say so. You at least don't mind if I-"

Beast Boy ran up to the two and grinned. "Hey, uh… sir? I mean Robin? Do you maybe-"

"Sorry, you two," Robin said. "I just went solo. I'm not looking to join a team." Soon he had disappeared from sight.

"-Need a sidekick?"

He sighed and turned back to the remaining teens. "You guys wanna get a pizza?"

The witch glowered at this as the hooded man left. "I shouldn't." A pool of shadows appeared, her jumping in and leaving the others alone.

"Sir? Bionicle?"

Lewa had completely shut down and did not seem interested in responding. Beast Boy shrugged and focused his efforts on the man, catching up to him. "Just you, me, and him, then, huh? I-I haven't really had anyone to hang out with since the Doom Patrol kick- allowed me to leave. I _guess_ I've IM'd a few times, but that's kinda lame…" He perked, clinging on to the guy's body. "This is gonna be fun! Can we play video games-"

His sojourn was abruptly ended when he bumped into the hooded hero, exposing the back of his head- which seemed surprisingly cybernetic. The man looked at Beast Boy and scowled. "_THERE!_ Take a good long look! I had an accident, and now I'm a monster, all right? A _cyborg!_"

The kid grinned. "Cyborg? Cool!" He jumped onto the robot's shoulders, leaning back towards Lewa. "You're like Robotman 2.0… or Bionicle 3.0! Is that okay with you, sir?" he yelled.

"No- no problems at all… with either of you…"

"You're a weird little dude," 'Cyborg' commented. "You know that?"

Beast Boy played around with the man's parts before eventually dismounting him and letting him put his hood back on. "You called me 'dude'," he laughed as the man left. "Okay, so… see you later. Right, dudes? Dudes?"

"Yeah."

* * *

Lewa sighed, walking away from the chaos. That… hadn't exactly been a good reunion. _At all._ Not only did Tanika slander him for being supposedly dead, but she had nearly killed him and a few others just because her powers were not working…

On that note, the few others seemed like pretty cool people. Robin, obviously a leader type, was stern and dictated a lot, but he really seemed to know his stuff and looked to be a great guy when he wasn't being a hero. Beast Boy was a bit… annoying, but he clearly had a big heart and was only doing those things to the two of them because he adored them- that's what Lewa thought, anyway. There was no doubt he wanted some kind of interaction… kind of like-

_Nope! _Not bringing it up!

The hooded man, or 'Cyborg' as Beast Boy had called him, really grated on his nerves with his abrasive attitude, although Lewa suspected he could get around it. There was no reason to punch the guy just because he had been irritated; and besides, he was reminded of-

The last of them, the witch, hadn't said much to show off her attitude, but Lewa could guess through her actions and body language. Given that she seemed quiet and unapproving of interaction, it looked like she was a nonsocial person. She had not allowed Robin to continue running away from Tanika, so she probably didn't know much about heroing in general (Robin seemed to be all knowledgeable on the subject.) Oh, and she hadn't liked him and Beast Boy, so that had to mean annoying personalities were not her thing- basically-

"_Hey!_"

Well- here she was now, ready to beat some sense into him.

"What."

The witch walked up to him and continued, "That… girl. When you talked to her… why did she brush you off?"

Lewa groaned. "Beats me, sister. I guess she believe-thinks I'm dark-dead to her. We were quick-talking just fine before the Gordanians showed up."

"But you're still alive," the witch intoned.

"Yeah… the world tends to hurt-spit on me in that way. It's happened loads before." Looking at the pizza place, he frowned. "Just wish she hadn't been acting so mask-cracked around the others."

"You know… you kind of remind me of someone."

Lewa perked. "Really? Who?"

"From a dream I've had."

"A sleep-dream? Do you remember it?"

"Why do you think I'm telling you?" she snapped.

"Because you recall-remember, obviously." He shrugged. "It's just- I've had one too, and Robin acts like a character in it-"

The witch facepalmed. "Figures. I _knew_ you were the kind of guy to backtalk at him like that. Least you're a lot more competent than your counterpart."

Lewa winced. "What'd I do?" he asked nervously.

"You took on a shadow monster, fell to the ground, and died."

The Toa's eyes lit up. _Now_ he remembered! "Oh, _yeah!_ You were talking on a building, right? And everyone was angry-mad that I wasn't here? And they name-called me Lewa? We must've had-"

"The same dream, right. I assume our souls interacted on the astral plane… somehow, anyway." She began to walk off. "Well, I guess I'd better get going. Not much point in staying here."

"_Wait!_ Before you do-" He held up a fist, advancing to the witch. "Thanks for the help. We couldn't have done it without you."

"Yeah," she said, glowering. "I don't _do_ fistbumps."

"Aw, really? Not even for a brother or sister?"

"Not at _all_." Her eyes began to glow. "Now leave me alone-"

* * *

_BREEEEEN._

A huge shadow passed over the area, causing Beast Boy to look up.

"_DUDE!_"

* * *

Here's Chapter Fifteen! (Or Chapter Three. Whatever.)

1. Hope Lewa's insertion in the script doesn't come off as being too clunky. I'm trying to make the whole thing as organic as possible and not be the textual embodiment of a _Pooh's Adventures _fanfic (least there's no indication of there being a play in this one... not _yet_, anyway. Heh.)

2. Assume he's signing anywhere where it's not indicated. It helped me a lot.

3. I watched _Oz _today but that little quip about Kansas isn't related to it. This whole thing was written quite some time ago. (Great movie, by the way. Definitely see it if you have the chance.)

4. Props to anyone who can figure out which shows Malum was flipping through.

5. It's cute how Lewa thinks the Titans remind him of the Nuva. _Too _cute. Something HAS to be done about this.

Read and review!


	17. Go! III

**Chapter Four/Sixteen: Go! III**

Kiina frowned. She and Gresh managed to escape their cell after all, since Tanika had broken them out, but things didn't seem good- an explosion had just rocked the ship, slightly tilting it and triggering a deafening alarm. This would not be such a problem if they were in a normal prison, Skrall having thrown them in after a tussle, but the Gordanians seemed to be _everywhere!_ It would be nigh impossible to flee, but if they stayed unseen, they might very well be able to.

"Coast clear?" the Glatorian whispered to her friend.

"I think so," he replied. "But we'll need to be quick." That was another problem- they'd had their weapons confiscated, and things had been too hectic to find them. Brute force was usually enough to take down an enemy, but as Lewa and the alien girl had shown, in this case flashy powers were definitely a help.

Kiina smiled. "You're lucky. Quick is the only type of running I know how to do." She adjusted her weight, moving to leap out. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

"Alright- let's move! On the count of three… three… two… one!"

With that, the two were off, speeding down a hallway at a quick jog and laying low to keep unseen. The Glatorian didn't know exactly _where_ they intended to go, but both were in agreement that it required them to be able to get off the ship at a moment's notice, so they had focused their attention towards getting to the escape pods- it was going to be a gamble, but it was the quickest way out, and most of the other locations on the ship were such as well.

As red light bathed the two and a steady beep drowned out any background noise, the path to the hangar appeared. "Yes!" the Tajunan cheered. "Shouldn't be much longer now-"

"Uh, Kiina-"

"What?"

"Coming up in front of you!"

She scoffed. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"_Incoming-_"

_WHUMP!_

Both groaned. Something, or some_one_, had knocked them off balance, and neither exactly envied finding out what…

"Ah. _There_ you are."

It was a Gordanian. Damn it.

"I had not imagined Glatorian to be this fast," he said, picking them up by their shoulder pads. "It is certainly hilarious, but I had hoped the scientists would have taken note of this when they experimented on you."

"It's not!" Kiina hissed. "We're _supposed_ to be this athlethic!"

"And _I _am not supposed to be this nice," the Gordanian retorted. "No matter- I suppose I will have to do so myself-"

"_Sm'ist!_"

He sighed, walking down the hallway. "Maybe later. For now, my Lord awaits."

Sm'ist sidled up by Trog'aar and frowned. "What is it, Your Majesty?"

"The cannon. Do you know how to trigger it?"

"A bit," the Corporal scowled. "Must you-"

"Unfortunately so. We only need it as a warning," the Lord said as he moved to a terminal. "Come. The emerald Earth awaits. Oh, and take those Glatorian with you- I want them to see what the Gordanian Army does to escapees."

Sm' grinned evilly. "Did you hear that, _troq? _Lord Trog'aar is _angry_- I do not think trying to run down the hall like that was a good idea." He took a seat at the monitor with prisoners; watching as black sky faded to grey clouds and a brightly lit city, dark blue ocean on the horizon; and punched a few codes into the keyboard. "Is this green island a good spot?"

Trog'aar leaned in. "Yes… there. They must all hear of our message."

"Very well, my Lord." ist typed in a few more codes.

"_Drop capsule here?_" the computer voice asked.

The Corporal looked to the Lord, who froze for a second before nodding and smiling grimly.

One more keypress. "_Impact site confirmed. Releasing…_"

A loud mechanical groaning filled the room, the ship shaking, before both stopped and a large silver tube appeared on the monitor. The Glatorian gaped.

"_Woah_," Gresh said in awe. "You're not really thinking of…"

"I am afraid so," Trog'aar sighed. Earth must be informed of the danger, although if all goes to plan we will not have to destroy them." He took the intercom, adjusted a camera on top of the terminal, and sneered. "Now sit back and relax, Glatorian. This is going to _take_ a while."

* * *

Before his eyes, a _huge_ spaceship appeared over the city, passing over the bay before stopping at an island. Could it be? Could aliens _really_ exist? It was a stupid question to ask- Bionicle and the crazy lighty girl had both _been _aliens- but they seemed rather friendly. This seemed a little less so, if the _loud screeching_ _moaning_ was anything to go by-

A hatch opened under the ship, large metal tubular thing falling out. Oh yeah. _Definitely _not friendly.

As the… thing crashed into the island and wedged itself into the rock, Beast Boy knew that this was probably not going to be his day.

"Looks like Space Girl has friends," Cyborg remarked.

"Or enemies," Robin said as he rejoined them.

* * *

A neon blue bolt of energy, flashing brightly enough to make it seem like it was daytime, _shot_ down from the top of the capsule, splitting itself to reveal a giant holographic screen. An image appeared; it may have been clouded by static, but Lewa had a good idea on who might have landed-

The static cleared.

"Oh _no_. It can't-"

The witch sighed. "I'm not going to _kill_ you, you dolt. You haven't annoyed me enough for that yet-"

He grabbed her by her soft shoulders and roughly turned her body around.

"What's so interesting about-" She paled. "I… I have absolutely no idea what that is."

"You've gotta be kidding me," Lewa groaned. "Here?_ Why?_"

"What? Who's here?"

"Listen and I'm _sure_ he tell you."

A reptilian face, bearing rough dark green skin, opaque red eyes, numerous spikes, and a jagged piece of metal that looked like a crown began to speak.

"_People of Earth!_" he yelled.

When the thing opened his mouth, several pointed teeth appeared, covering a black abyss. His voice was hissy and grated on the ears, like glass on a pavement, but it still somehow managed to have a smooth bass quality to it. Quite unnerving, really.

"We come to your planet hunting a prisoner-" he coughed- "a very dangerous prisoner."

Lewa frowned and headed back towards the heroes, who were congregating by the ruins of the bus. The witch ended up following him as well.

"Do _not_ interfere," the reptile continued, "and we will leave your 'city' with only minimal damage." He paused and sneered, hissing and allowing a long forked tongue to peek out of the mail slot that was his mouth. "But if you attempt to assist her…"

BLIP. "Your destruction will be absolute."

* * *

"So let me get this straight," Akhmou asked. Malum nodded, motioning for him to go on. "You found Toa Lewa in a place called 'Jump', Karzahni-knows where/how many kio from here, and expect me to help you… rescue him?"

"That is the gist of it."

The Matoran pouted, looking at the Glatorian angrily. "I'd like to stay here, actually, especially after the state you _left _me in." Everyone groaned in unison.

Malum had gone off from their landing site quickly, to find shelter and a way out of the putrid orange cornfield, so he had left Akhmou behind to save time. He'd expected to be back within the next day or so, health notwithstanding, but the Kents had just been so… _nice_. Nice and wholesome. They seemed to embody the spirit of Superman very well.

That didn't really matter, though. After the trio spotted Lewa on a television program, continuing his Toa ways in a new city, Malum was eager to get to him, jolting right for the cornfield. Given Akhmou's previous behavior, he'd thought the conman would awaken tired and grateful, like a literal sleeping beauty… he had _snapped_.

"I can't believe you would just _LEAVE_ me here, stranded and alone!" Akhmou had yelled. "Don't you know if this place is _dangerous?_"

"If it makes you feel any better," Malum had said sheepishly, "the only wild animals out here are 'dogs', 'cats', and 'bugs'…"

"I _don't CARE!_ You left me out here to _die!_"

"But I didn't…"

Akhmou growled.

So on and so forth. The duo had done this gig for a while, before Martha smoothly told them to shut up and asked what they planned to do. The consensus was pretty much to go after the Toa, but neither of them had any idea how to get there…

Which was why the Glatorian now sat upon something Jon dubbed a 'motorcycle', flattening some cornstalks, while the Matoran stood on the porch and threw insults at him.

"I apologize," Malum said softly and sighed. "Can we _go_ now?"

Akhmou stay silent for a moment, thinking things over, then finally smiled. "Sure." He jumped onto the vehicle, causing a tiny thump, and fistbumped his companion. The Glatorian tensed in surprise and was relieved when Martha came over, carrying some baskets.

"You two ready to head off?" They nodded. "Don't leave _yet!_ I got some more stuff for the ride!"

_More _stuff? Malum flinched. He'd thought the previous five were enough. "It's alright, miss, we can manage."

The Kent gasped and marched right up to him. "You can _manage?_ No, no, no! Take the food! We can't keep it around anyway!"

"But what about…" Akhmou signed, "the man? The super man?"

Martha paused before registering this. "Superman?" She laughed, big guffaws echoing over the cornfield. "Nah! He's too busy saving innocent people, and I don't think he thinks helping two aliens get across the country is worth his time."

"Are there not others?"

"The other heroes are pretty preoccupied too. Listen, cross-country road trips are something _anyone_ can do! There's no need for Wonder Woman, or Flash, or… heck, even _Aquaman_ to assist them. Just head off and you should be fine. If something _does_ happen, _then_ they'll be there."

Akhmou growled. _What a piraka._

"Well," Jon said, coming out as well, "I guess you'll be off then." He helped his wife load the extra baskets onto the bike. "Good luck! I went cross-country once. It was a load of fun. Hopefully you two feel the same." Tossing the Malum some keys, he stood back and waved before flinching. "_Oh_, almost forgot!" Once again, he pulled something out. "Take this!"

It was a flimsy paper map, a fairly detailed one of the entire landmass that showed off all of its cities, roads, and physical features. The Glatorian frowned as he read it.

"Figured it'd help. We're near the middle, Smallville, Kansas. Jump City is off to the left in California, right at the bottom corner. Have fun."

With that, Malum inserted the keys into their shaft and turned them, the bike quickly activating and shaking around.

"Have fun, you two!" Martha said while she waved. Although they were slightly uneasy, the duo waved back. The family _had _assisted them, after all, and expected them to come out of their quest victorious._ The least we can do is gratify them_, they thought as the motorcycle zoomed past the house and flattened more cornstalks in its wake.

Martha sighed. "I feel bad."

"For who?"

"For Clark."

"For _Clark?_" Jon looked at his wife curiously. "Why d'you think _that_?"

"He's- he _just_ told us about the whole alien thing, Jonathan. It would _really_ break his heart to see _more _of them in the equation. How would he explain it to his friends?"

"Like he always does. With grace and finesse. Truth, justice, and the American way."

"You think so?" Martha smiled, taking her husband's hand. "Well, you've never been wrong before."

"Not _that_ much," Jon said.

"No matter. Let's go inside and watch some television." The two headed into their house, closing the door to the silent world behind them.

"Sooo," Akhmou said with a smile. "How're things, chum?"

"Not bad."

"Really? You seemed pretty chipper when you found me." He frowned as the Glatorian stayed silent. "How are you riding that thing, anyway? I thought you only had Sand Stalkers."

"We had a few vehicles, too," Malum replied. "Cendox. Very, very useful."

"Wait- you don't mean to say that you-" The Matoran smiled slyly. "You _wouldn't!_"

"So I did. Now shut up. I don't want you starting things again and I _need_ to concentrate."

"All right," Akhmou said. "Hey… where _are_ we, anyway?"

Malum sighed. "Smallville, Kansas, like they said."

"But… we don't know _where_! I mean, I know those two were trying to help, but it doesn't seem like they had a grip on anything…" Akhmou began to panic. "_How do we get to Jump?_"

"Easy. We take this one red road, the I-whatever, and it'll take us right there. Just need to find out how to reach it…"

He frowned, looking around.

"Oh, _slag_. I see what you mean."

As far as either of them was concerned, there was _no_ way to get to Jump. All around them, as far as the eye could see, was corn; fields of corn, stalks of corn, corn, corn, CORN. It was _maddening_.

* * *

Martian Manhunter frowned. Manning the Watchtower could be fun, but at the moment it was very, very boring.

Suddenly, he heard it. The alarm. Checking the radar, his eyes widened. They were here.

The first person to know was Superman. Manhunter reached out to him mentally, training his thoughts around until he was able to make a link- _clik_! The man was surprisingly not panicked at all, calm as ever, but J'onn ignored that and went for his speech lobes.

"Superman," Manhunter called. "They have arrived."

"Who? The aliens?"

"Yes. Do you wish to not engage them?"

Superman's thoughts began to whirr, swirling in a mass. "I don't know, J'onn… Fortune telling _is_ pretty much your thing, but I can't help but get the feeling that we were wrong in telling everyone."

"No," J'onn said. "There is still an outcome that needs to be reached. Nobody will be purely angered by this but Batman, and he has a good reason to be."

"He lost Robin?"

"Yes. Precisely."

The whirr calmed and Clark's thoughts settled down. "Very well then. Keep monitoring these guys for any interference-"

"Gordanians. Civil but vicious reptilian creatures."

"Oookaay. Keep monitoring the Gordanians. If things get too bad, tell the team the same thing you told me."

"As you wish, Clark," J'onn said, and then he was gone, mind pulled out of Superman's.

Manhunter frowned. Gordanians… they were very dangerous. Robin and the girl had to have a very good reason to beat them… wait… was that _another_-

* * *

The creature's image disappeared, beams receding from the island and retracting into the castle. As the quartet watched, machinery began to jerk into action, the hatch beginning to open again.

"That's a big ship." Cyborg remarked again.

The hatch fully unsealed itself, legions of aliens just like the one everyone had just seen flying out over the city. They'd never indicated having _wings_ before…

Beast Boy bit a nail. "And those are some scary-looking aliens."

"They told us not to interfere," the witch softly intoned.

"You're still going after her-"

"_Mmm! Mmm!_"

The group turned to Lewa. "What is it, dude?"

The Toa began to speak, pouted and growled upon realizing he couldn't, and began to gesture frantically.

Robin glanced, concerned. "You… want to leave?"

Lewa smiled and shook his head, continuing to gesture.

"You want to eat something?"

He glowered and facepalmed.

"You-" Beast Boy looked at his new idol, studying him, and gaped. "Your chicken went into the girl's bathroom and flew down a well? Oh no! I'll-"

"**_AGH!_**"

"What?" The green male shrugged. "It _might've_ happened."

Lewa began to grow red, eyes glowing green. The witch sighed and sidled up to him. "I can't take this anymore," she moaned. Touching him on his shoulder armour, the girl began chanting, eyes gleaming white and hand leaking black all the while.

"What are you-"

"Shh," she whispered. "Azarath metrion-"

"But I don't quick-know-"

"_Quiet!_ Azarath metrion _ZINTHOS!_"

The two vanished in a black aura, blinding the others. When this receded, they remained, Lewa smoking but otherwise still happy.

Cyborg raised an eyebrow. "That supposed to _help_ us?"

The Toa turned to him, crossed his arms, and scowled. "She's a _magic-witch!_ Of _course_ she'll aid-help us-"

He froze. "Woah. Am I-"

"What _about_ you?"

"Don't backtalk!" Lewa snapped. "It's just-" He gasped, feeling his throat. "I _AM!_ I can actually _understand_ you guys!" Squealing joyously, the Toa ran up to the witch and caught her in a brutal hug. "Thank you, thank you, _thank you!_"

The witch sighed. "Don't mention it."

Beast Boy grinned at the sight. "Congratulations, sir-dude! Nice to see you can speak so well!"

Lewa frowned. "This isn't a gain-reward. I _should've _been able to speak-talk your language, but the law-rules of this universe are so _cruel_- that I couldn't. Isn't this kind of a cop out?"

"By that standard, all magic is," the witch replied, floating down.

"Oh. Okay. Ever-shame I didn't have some paper; I might've been able to scribe-write to you guys using the Rau…" He trailed off, noticing that the others weren't listening. That was surprising.

"So," Cyborg said, "like I said before I was so _rudely interrupted_." Lewa growled. "It's okay, man, just- you're still going after her, aren't you?"

Robin frowned, the others looking at him curiously. "Can we come too?" Beast Boy asked.

The Boy Wonder paused for a moment, obviously in thought, then smiled. "I_ suppose_ I could team up. Just this once."

"But Toa-hero Robin!" Lewa looked sullen, mouth a bit open. "The Gordanians- these guys- are much-dangerous, and… I don't know if you'll be able to hold-take them…"

"Don't worry sir!" Beast Boy beamed. "I _know_ we can take those creepy snakes on. Right, Robin?"

"I don't know," Robin said. "But don't worry, um…"

"Lewa. Toa Lewa." He grinned and held out a fist again, quickly returned by three of the four.

"Then don't worry, Lewa." The flashy hero set off, the others following in his steed. "We'll do what we can. If it's too dangerous, I suppose I'll have to call the Justice League in to beat them- till then, though, it's probably better to contain the threat."

The Toa smiled grimly, socked his palm, and continued on. He would do it- not just because Tanika might be in danger, but also because this world could be destroyed. Although he didn't know if he'd be able to get back, Lewa had come to like the place. It would be nice to keep it around.

"But sir," Beast Boy whimpered, "the Justice League is on vacation…"

"They're **_WHAT?_**"

"Yeah! Hiatus! They don't wanna fight these aliens!" The newly independent hero withdrew and scuffed the floor. "That's what I heard, anyway…"

Robin growled. "Damn it… Well then, I guess we _will_ have to do it ourselves." He turned to the witch. "You in?"

She gasped, looking to have come out of a trance, and turned to the heroes for a moment before looking at her right foot sadly. "I'm not the hero type," she murmured. "Trust me. If you knew what I really am…" She fully turned away, cloak hiding her. "You wouldn't want me around."

"_Nah,_" Lewa said, "I think you'll be okay. A little bit cross-wired, maybe, but for the sake of unity I _guess_ I can dark-ignore that-"

Robin walked back to her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I know enough."

She looked at him, hint of a smile threatening to break off her cheek.

* * *

Wolfman Square, normally a lively mall nestled in between Pèrez Tower and LexCorp One, was surprisingly silent. The Gordanian Army had cleared it out in their search for the rutan'gah. The girl's whereabouts remained unknown, but Lord Tro'gaar had been confident that Earth would give her up sooner or later.

H'ssiah winced. He had been assigned to the First District, the top squadron for situations like this, but he couldn't help but shake the feeling that Tro'gaar _knew _he was going to fail. They hadn't found her yet, and if something didn't happen soon…

Never mind it. He _jammed _his spear into the smooth metal surface, pulled it away, much of it ripping off, and looked inside the vehicle. Nothing. He rose and looked to his men, hoping they'd been successful. Still nothing.

There was no use in meandering around, poking stupid things with sharp points. They had to move. H' jumped off the vehicle, called the troops, and formed them in a line. The Gordanians raised their spears, understanding the silent command, and fired.

**_BOOOOOOOOOMMM!_**

A bright white light filled the area, debris falling down like rain on Zenthax-B. One soldier jumped over to the impact site, inspecting the debris.

"Found anything?" ssiah asked in the moaning neighs that were the Gordanian language.

"No!" the man called, shaking his head. "Nothing here either!"

The Sergeant sighed. That was concerning. He called the others over and leaped away.

Behind them, Robin, Beast Boy, the witch, and Lewa poked their heads out from an adjacent alley. Robin looked at the others and exhaled. "All right," he said softly. "We need some way to track-"

"She's near."

Everyone stared at the witch curiously, upon which she smiled sheepishly. "I can sense things," she hastily added.

Beast Boy grinned. "I'll see if I can pick up her scent." He seemed to disappear, but had instead taken the form of a Ko-Koronan mail kavinika. The Rahi looked at the others for a moment before trotting off to find a lead.

"There's a sonic analyzer on my forearm," Cyborg said, rolling up his right sleeve to reveal blue and white paneling, a display and masses of circuitry. Lewa gasped. It reminded him of a Dark Hunter who been forced to exchange her arm for a mechanical one- Lariska, he believed- and for the boy to have that advanced technology-

The display was tapped a few times, numbers and letters appearing rapidly and a panel opening. "If she's around, I'll hear it."

Robin turned to Lewa, silently inquiring as to whether he had something to add to the search. The Toa grinned.

"I've got an Akaku!"

"An Aka… _what_?"

"You know, an Akaku! The Kanohi-Mask of X-Ray Vision-Sight!" Lewa frowned, reaching for Robin's mask. "You… _do_ think-know of it, don't you? I mean, you've got one right here… never learn-heard of it, but it's a-"

"_NO!_" Robin flailed around, slapping Lewa's arms into his mask. The Toa winced. "Sorry. I need that on."

Lewa smirked, taking off his mask to reveal his robotic face. "Long-time enough for me to see what it is?"

The boy sighed. "It keeps my identity a secret. Can't let you have it."

"You know," Lewa said, "it's not like I _meet-know_ anybody here…"

Robin shot daggers at him. "_Aaagh!_ No ifs, ands, or buts! _I have to keep it on!_"

"Okay, okay, _jeez_. Forget I thought-asked." He put his Miru back on and switched to the Akaku, focusing the lens to see in closer detail. "Why _do_ you need to keep it a hide-secret, anyway?"

The interface beeped, indicating the presence of a few lifeforms that Lewa quickly turned to examine. Robin frowned. "You… really don't know _anything_ about superheroes, don't you?"

The kavinika moved towards a… video store and barked. "Uh, _duh!_" Lewa beamed and elbowed the hero. "Why d'ya think I _walk-followed _you?"

"Because you wanted to help?"

"That and I had to see what _actual_ Toa-heroes do. Not ones in protect-armour that twirl their weapons and spout useless talk-banter."

"That's… actually pretty nice of you! I'll admit, though," Robin said, "what you described _is_ pretty much what we do, although I don't quite know anyone who wears armour…"

"I'm sure they're around somewhere."

Lewa blinked his eyes, the blurry red vision a strain. He _really_ wasn't experienced with this thing… maybe he should have asked Kopaka to help- oh, wait. He _couldn't _have.

Robin looked at Cyborg, still focused on the display. "Y'know," the robotic man said, "I've stayed out of this for a while, but I feel the need to tell you- Lewa- that it's _necessary_. Can't have villains findin' out about your loved ones, after all."

"Couldn't you keep-prevent them from doing that?"

Cyborg smiled. "Nah. Kinda impossible when you've got powerful technology, training, and wit and _they've_ got magic powers and are masters of emotional manipulation."

Robin growled.

"That wasn't a jab at you, Boy Wonder… though now I guess it _is_. What about you, Lewa? Feelin' similarly?"

Lewa thought about this, finger on his lip. Makuta _had_ had what could be construed to be magic powers, however robotic ended up being… but at the same time, he guessed he and his siblings did too. So he shrugged.

"Good," Robin said. "I don't think anyone could feel the way I have-"

_PC- Tamaranean. 10.9 bio._ That was quick.

"I think I've quick-found her!" Lewa yelled.

The kavinika barked, turned to the others, and changed back into- Beast Boy. It was going to take Lewa a while to get used to that. "I've got her trail!"

He turned back into a Rahi, allowing the two to see Cyborg's panel. It beeped rhythmically, red spikes appearing in patterns. "And I can hear her heartbeat," the man said.

The five flew down the alley, turning onto the next street.

* * *

Chapter Sixteen!

1. Are Malum and Akhmou acting too bro-ish? Because I can change that.

2. _SUPERDICKERY _

3. There's the language barrier gone. Thanks, Raven, for providing an easy copout. (I actually want to see more of Greg's serials, though. It would help a lot to know how the whole language-learning quest was supposed to happen.)

4. I hope the cultural clashes between Toa and the DC heroes were illustrated properly. Makes sense to for Lewa to believe that Robin would be wearing a mask, or that he's acting way different from the Toa he's seen before.

Read and review... I guess...


	18. Go! IV

**Chapter Five/Eighteen: Chocolate Killed the Video Star**

"Johns Video" was warm and smelled of sweat, but a strange cooling air seemed to negate this. Tanika walked inside, smiling at her handiwork. At first she had planned to leave the planet, heading straight for Tamaran, but a growling hunger threatened to drop her dead… so she stayed. It probably wouldn't have mattered if she'd gone; the Gordanians would've found her anyway. Oh, the pains of having nine stomachs.

As she emerged through the big jagged hole, edges and debris still glowing red-hot, the girl took in her surroundings. It was dark, although shelves of objects could be made out. Tanika floated to them, ever curious, and picked one up. It seemed to be… some sort of case? She looked for an opening, pulling the thing apart, and was surprised to find a disc. Was it important? A hologram viewer was not in obvious view, so she went to go look for- oh, right, food…

A small counter lay by the entrance, covered with strange plastic toys, but Tanika ignored those and went right for the alluring scent. A small bucket, the source of the smell, had been placed behind the counter, and she picked it up eagerly. Licking her lips hungrily, she reached inside. Finally, sustenance! The Gordanians hadn't been feeding her well at all, mainly shoving meager leftovers in her mouth, and Lewa's planet hadn't been much better in that regard, so it was nice to get something of _worth_ in her stomachs.

The first thing she took was a small, hard bar covered by a plastic wrapper. Looking at it lustfully, she placed it in her mouth and took a bite, slowly chewing to take in the flavor. _Mmm, _that was good- YUCK!

Oh X'hal, that wrapper did not taste good at all. She spit it out, taking off the rest, and went back to the sinfully good bar, moaning as she did so. It tasted thick and viscous, like the Taurunu's goop her knorf'ka had once given her, and left a fulfilling aftertaste in her mouth. She quickly licked it off and took the bucket; if that was just one bar, there was _bound_ to be more delights in the whole thing! Tilting the container over, she breathed and opened her mouth. In its contents went.

A few popped corns lay on her tongue, overwhelming her with flavor, but she knew they would have to be digested… so she wolfed them down, savouring each treat as they were eaten. Again the sinful feeling took her by surprise, and again she chewed, taking in the taste and the texture and the feeling they had on her tongue and oh X'hal she may very well have been-

Suddenly, a group of stragglers walked in. Tanika frowned. The food was _hers_… why did they want it?

"Uh…" one said, pausing, "those taste better _without_ the wrapper."

Oh. She _remembered_ that voice.

Tipping down the last of the corn into her mouth, the girl turned over her shoulder to give him a smouldering look before wheeling around to face the others she knew had to be there- and lo and behold, they _were_. Rob… in, the one with the jagged hair and flashy outfit, the large man with robotic parts… Beast Boy? Tanika _assumed_ it had to be. When the name had been called she had been busy lifting a bus. Either way, his green skin and stupid mask gave him away. She also spotted a pale girl in a robe, the one who had saved her; that was nice of her; and… _Lewa._

They had allied with a clone, a clone of her _dead friend_ to be precise. Tanika knew it was a silly assumption to make, but the Gordanian Lieutenant, H'ssiah had taken him before her and his friends' eyes and thrown him in something called protodermis. He had never returned. The reptiles had then removed them from the cave and taken them before Lord Tro'gaar, who blatantly outlined that she were _not_ going to escape… obviously he had known her powers were going to get out of hand again, and had taken steps to prevent this; the cuffs, the cell, the torture, the _clone_.

The former three had been made to curb her growing abilities, but the latter clearly was _not_… he was merely a decoy, designed to goad her into coming back and being thrown to the Gordanian hounds. The others must have been sent by them to help. _NO. This wouldn't do._

Snarling softly, she activated her starbolts and glowered at the group. They gasped, body language indicating surprise. Served them right.

"Tanika-"

Robin took a step towards her. "It's alright," he said. "We're friends… remember?

No. She did _not_ remember.

Lewa frowned. Tanika didn't seem too hot about meeting him again. He was about to pull Robin back and tell him of this, but then she spoke.

"Friends?" she asked, advancing. Everyone quickly backed up. "Why? For _what purpose_ did you free me?"

Robin smiled. "Just… trying to be nice?"

Tanika growled. "'_Nice._' We do not _have_ this word on my planet. Closest is 'rutha.' _Weak!_"

Lewa started to object; she'd acted pretty nice back home, so why was she so bitter now? He thought better of it, though.

Cyborg glared at her. "Well… around here, 'nice' means 'nice.'" He, too, took a step forward. "And if you want us to _keep_ being nice, you better tell us why the Lizard King took you prisoner."

"I already _speak-told _you! They went to her home-planet, captured her, and kidnapped-took her in as the product of a-"

"_I want the Cliffs Notes version!_"

Lewa pouted. "Okay, _fine_. See what happens when they quick-find her and you aren't able to think-figure why they keep speak-talkin' about peace-treaties and armies and the like."

"Technically," Cyborg frowned, "you'll be seeing it too."

"_Whatever!_"

Tanika sighed, powering down her starbolts. They didn't seem _that_ bad. "Not prisoner," she said. "I am… prize. The Gordanians deliver me to the Citadel, to live out my days as their servant."

The pale girl raised an eyebrow. "And the Citadel are…"

"Not nice," the alien finished bitterly.

Robin crossed over to her. "Then you're not going with them," he scowled as Beast Boy joined him. "Not if I have anything to say about it."

Beast Boy glared. "Um, don't you mean '_we?'_"

**_BOOOOOOOOOMMM!_**

The group was hurled to the floor by the force. Lewa coughed, using his powers to clear the smoke, which revealed several Gordanian troops standing outside a new hole in the wall.

"Y'know," he rasped, "it's kinda rude-mean to interrupt a good moment like that-"

"_Seize her!_"

The platoon charged. Lewa quickly got back on his feet, as did the other five. Tanika may not have liked him anymore, but he wasn't going to let these guys take her away.

* * *

The Missouri plains rolled by, the two lazily driving down the road in the motorcycle. After a while of driving and being stuck in the cornfield (Malum threw up,) Akhmou had finally managed to get them out onto a main road. There had also been a problem with where exactly to drive, but quick "consultation" with a few drivers and the police ended that. Malum was especially thankful that the Justice League existed, whatever the heck it was.

"How long do you think we'll have to drive for?"

Malum laid a head on the middle of the handlebar and sighed. "I don't know. A day? Six months? This country seems huge. Did you know that this is all a country?"

Akhmou gaped. "No."

"Well good, because I didn't either." The Glatorian concentrated ahead of him. "This is actually _more _hopeless than I'd thought," he spat. "We have a good idea of where Toa Lewa is, but we have no idea _how_ to get there, what to _do_ when we get there, and what to _say_ when we get there. Can you sign 'I'm sorry' now?"

"That wasn't my fault!"

"Yeah, and it's not the Great Being's fault for destroying our planet. Get over yourself."

The Matoran growled. "Why I outta-"

"Don't. It's not worth it."

Akhmou moaned and lay bad in his seat. "What _else_ should we do? Head into a tavern and whine about our problems?"

As he said this, one passed by.

"Oh…" He grinned. "Hey, I just predicted the future!"

"So you did," Malum groaned.

It was a small tavern, if anything, barely the size of a Metrunan's house. Akhmou thought this peculiar; most were usually bigger, so that those from all types of work could visit to drink.

"'Lo's Greatest Beer,'" he read. "Do you want to?"

The Glatorian thought this over than slumped again. "Yeah, why not." He directed the cycle into a tiny lot and fell out of the vehicle. Soon, the Matoran did as well. It was a _very_ good thing that they had found this, perhaps maybe _too_ good…

* * *

Cyborg was the first to get a hit, bringing a robotic fist into a Gordanian's face, and was soon followed by Beast Boy as a rhinocerous in knocking one down. Lewa raised his sword and slashed, knocking two to the wall in a blast of wind. Tanika took out a soldier in a devastating right hook while Robin, using a new staff, smashed some of the aliens on their heads. Finally, the witch murmured some words, her eyes glowing white, and threw some Gordanians backward.

In a surge of light, another part of the wall exploded, rattling some cars and throwing Tanika out with it. She backed up out of the growing dust cloud, uncrossed her arms from their previous spot protecting her head, and lowered them to shoot a few starbolts. Three troops were in the target zone, flying towards her; one was directly hit and spiraled downwards, the second noticed this and pulled back, and the last dodged it, moving to fight the girl more closely. She held up a starbolt-infused fist to punch him but was knocked to the pavement, the surface cracking on impact. The soldier dropped down, holding up his spear to take her out, however Robin, busy fighting with another Gordanian, noticed and kicked the adversary with a mighty boot, punching away his own rival in the process. Tanika smiled but gasped when she saw the remaining troops going after him. She was quickly airborne again, hands on fire and screaming towards them. Robin took the rug out under one with a kick while she shot one down, flying upwards to take down more Gordanians.

Meanwhile, Cyborg and Lewa teamed up to take out a Gordanian of their own. The Toa played around a bit, the alien a few times before jumping behind him and kicking him to the man. The robot fought similarly before a long tail curled around the two's legs and threw them down. The soldier sneered and held his spear at them, Lewa shielding the duo with his Kanohi. He chuckled for a bit before another kicked him in the back of the head and deactivated it, leaving them helpless. The spear had fully charged up and was about to shoot before Cyborg rolled out of the way with the Toa and pulled a few acrobatic moves to dodge some more shots. They stood still, rapidly breathing, but were soon caught in a vicious crossfire that covered them in smoke.

Lewa cleared the smoke, eyes glowing, but was shocked to find that the man's garments had been destroyed. Underneath, what should normally have been skin was completely covered in the same paneling and circuitry as his arm, robotic body not unlike his own. He frowned and moved to ask him about this, but stopped. Gordanians. Right. The robot threw an angry look at the garment-destroyer and jumped towards him, moving past energy blasts to punch and break his spear. He lifted the alien high into the air, throwing him into a flying squadron before picking up another and throwing him to Lewa. The Toa paused for a moment before holding up his Skyblaster and shooting him away.

More shots rang out, landing close to the two; three soldiers threw them off balance before Beast Boy, as what appeared to be a Gukko bird, airlifted Cyborg out. Now alone with the Gordanians, Lewa turned to them, smiled evilly, and raised his sword high in the air, bringing back down forcefully and sending speeding towards a nearby streetlight and a destructive impact. The witch picked up the light with her powers, concentrated, and swung it towards three more who were all quickly knocked out of view.

Further down the road, a number of Gordanians lay still or still moving on the ground. The remains of the First District looked at the sextet and gaped. The rutan'gah alone was bad enough, but with five others she was all but unstoppable. H'ssiah gazed upon the damage done with a fearful look in his eyes- the _Glatorian_! Still alive! But _how?_

A soldier looked at him funny. "Sergeant?" He quickly found himself in the officer's grip.

"The Glatorian is still alive, Le'ede," H' hissed. "How is this _possible?_"

"Beats me, sir, but I _know_ I don't want to take him on again," Le' said, rubbing his head."

ssiah paused. "I… I agree. I do not either. _RETREAT!_"

With that, those who were able to lifted off, many scared and in pain, and flew off. The victors looked at this, Beast Boy, in human form again, gazing in wonder.

Tanika gave a small smile. "I believe your expression is 'thanks.'"

"Ever-welcome," Lewa said. He sighed. "Look, Tanika- if you want to believe I'm dead, go on and do so. I… don't really mind. I know you're mad at me for that, and I'm sorry. I'll just go quick-ahead and beat down those Karzahni-spawn myself and we can be on our way."

"Who said anything about us being on our way?"

The Toa frowned. "I did… why?" He felt his hand being squeezed and gasped. "Too… strong! What-"

Tanika smiled and squeezed harder.

"_Tanika? _Why?"

She grinned. "Anyone who is willing to help his friend like that _deserves_ a second chance."

Lewa grinned too. "Aaw, that's sweet. Thanks, Tanika- _URK!_"

He was being squeezed again.

"Ow… too hard…"

Robin saw this and gaped. "Um… put him down, lady!"

She squealed and did exactly that. Lewa groaned. "The power sap hasn't changed anything, I see…"

"No. It would not. I regained everything. Righteous fury and boundless confidence have brought the strength back."

Robin raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"These emotions are the fuel of my power," Tanika said, looking to the other trio.

"Oh, okay… you _know_ her, Lewa?"

The Toa groaned. "Only have for a bit… but given her personality, I suppose I do."

Cyborg eyed the shredded scraps of his outfit and moaned. "Aw _man_, _my suit!_"

Beast Boy grinned. "So? You look way better without it."

"Yeah," Cyborg deadpanned, taking them off. "Like I'm taking fashion advice from the guy in the goofy mask."

The green boy looked at him with open eyes, lip trembling. "Goofy? My mask is cool." His eyes trembled as well. "Isn't it? Bionicle? Creepy pale girl?"

All shook their heads. Beast Boy sighed, pulling at the bottom of his mask. "But… what about my secret identity?"

"What secret identity?" Raven asked. "You're green."

The male frowned at this, deep in thought. He hemmed a bit, then, sighing again, took it off.

Robin, Tanika, and Lewa crossed over to the three. "This isn't over," Robin said. "Now that we've interfered…"

"Tro'gaar will strike harder," Tanika continued. "It is only a matter of-"

_BREEEEEN._

The beams from the capsule sparked into action again, flashing into the sky to reveal the head Gordanian's image again. They all turned to see it. He seemed very angry, and rightfully so. "_Fools!_" he yelled and paused. "The earth scum were _warned._ Your _insolence_ will be _punished_. Your city will be_ DESTROYED! Trigger the cannon!_"

As a large crowd watched, the screen blipped out of existence, the ship bearing closer to the populace. A few more mechanisms could be heard, then a large gun appeared, turned down to the street, and glowed, powering up. The six looked at it, eyes widened; Lewa's especially so.

"_Protodermis?_" he shouted. "_No way!_ We're _so_ dead…"

Raven rolled her eyes and sighed. "Great."

* * *

Kiina and Gresh stood at the monitor, gaping. This was unreal. How could he have gotten his hands on _protodermis_?

"I bet you're both wondering how I got my hands on _your_ protodermis," Tro'gaar smiled.

Kiina frowned. "Read my mind."

He smiled harder. "I tend to do that! Well… the news of the Toa's death was surprising, but in all actuality it was not a hard process to harvest it…"

Tro'gaar detailed how H'ssiah had told him of the results of the experiment. He'd said that the Toa had disappeared, but noted that live bait and some stories hadn't been much evidence for them to go on their uber-powerful resource theory. Tro'gaar had not been happy at first, given that he had accomplished all that he wanted to do, but he then realized that punishing the inhabitants for their actions would be a good idea.

So after giving a speech to his subjects, he had gone down to survey the extent of H'ssiah's damage. Most of it was contained to huts, debris littered across the sand, but a major explosion had hit a larger bulding that seemed to house the planet's government. Tro'gaar had not been thrilled to see that a large majority had been destroyed, but had been surprised to find a note in the rubble; it had taken him a while to decode it, but he eventually got "_Toa. Aliens destroyed the Confederation Building. Find us in the caves._" The caves mentioned seemed to be pretty hard to find, so Tro'gaar had gone to the adjacent arena instead. It had, strangely enough, _not_ been hit, although an eerie entrance lay in the ground. Feeling curious, Tro'gaar had gone in.

It had been dark, but Tro'gaar's ears were strong enough to see anyway (he had been crowned exactly for this reason.) The tunnels were long and rocky, but he managed to navigate them okay. Eventually, he had come across a large hole in the wall, and encountered a large rotunda.

"It was _beautiful_," Tro'gaar recalled. "Tall, extravagant, and wildly detailed. Almost reminded me of home."

The murals told him nothing, and the room seemed wildly bare, so Tro'gaar had moved to leave. However, he had stopped upon realizing this was the room with the protodermis. Running over to it, he had seen a mask and frowned-

"That was Velika's lab!" Gresh gasped.

"Yes, so it was. Quite the find. He'll be ever so happy that I took it."

"He's _dead_."

Tro'gaar frowned. "Maybe he won't be now."

He had called for some men to harvest the protodermis out- _quite_ a struggle to do so, as the tools were either destroyed or transformed into completely random things. After some time, though, they had managed to get everything out- to their shock, though, a frail robot lay on the floor.

"Find the Great Beings," he had said. "Stop this now…"

The Great Beings had been found, H'ssiah said, so Tro'gaar did nothing. Instead, he had gone over to an altar to see what it was for, only to cry out in pain when he did so. A weapon dropped to the ground. He had picked it up, hemming when he realized what it was. A spear. The weapon of yore. He silently thanked the robot and looked over the altar- then he had realized. There was a small hole in the black rock, probably for it, and Tro'gaar had tested this by jamming the spear in. To everyone's surprise, it was! The altar had sprung to life, glowing intensely, and the rock had popped straight off the altar into the sky.

"_Woah_," Kiina said. "That was the Great Beings' beacon mechanism, for use if their ship ever crashed. Are you _sure _you're not manipulating destiny?"

Sm'ist hissed and held her tighter, choking her. "This _is_ his destiny, you fool!"

Apparently it _was_. A small metal wheel had been hidden under the altar, and when Tro'gaar turned it, the whole thing flew open. Underneath _that, _he found a room, home to some small scared robots and two larger angry ones.

"_You!_" one had said. "_What have you done to the protodermis?_"

"Taken it," Tro'gaar had said with a smile.

"It is _not_ for your use."

Tro'gaar ignored this and pushed them all away. Spotting a large book in the center of the room, he had moved over to it. The other angry robot turned to him with a pleading look on his face.

"_Please_ don't tell me you've done anything with Lewa," he had said.

Tro'gaar had smiled. The robot growled clenched his fists. "Don't even _think _about- I'll-"

"You'll do _nothing_."

Tro'gaar had pushed them away further, buried them under some rock, taken the book and some other memorabilia, and walked away. As he did so, he heard the robots arguing. Most of it was useless filler, but some of it had interested him to a deadly degree.

"Tahu, he's taken Lewa," one said.

"We can't do anything about it now," said the other.

"I know- I _shouldn't_ be going against everything- but he might have _died!_"

"Don't worry brother," the other said. "We'll do what we can."

Everything besides this, again, was baseless fighting, so the Gordanians left the room, climbed out of the tunnels, and headed back to the ship. It took a while to start it up again, after some cheeky villagers had ruined its engines, but they were eventually able to leave- not after Jone'z got on board, of course.

"So you see," Tro'gaar finally finished, "we've taken all of your protodermis. It was _very_ useful in upgrading our old training spears. Thanks!"

Kiina growled. "Onua was right. It's _not_ for your use."

"Oh, pish _posh_. Who's never heard of the Law of Natural Resources?"

"Anyone with a _brain_," she hissed.

"**_Quiet!_**" Tro'gaar yelled. "There is _no use_ in arguing now. I do not see any reason to kill you, as if the cannon does its work, we will not need to."

Gresh gaped. "What? You wouldn't…"

Sm'ist smiled. "Oh, yes. He _would_."

"Gaze upon the _beauty_ of 'Jump City,'" the lord said, voice dripping with pride, "for it is about to be destroyed… along with your _precious_ Lewa, from the looks of it."

"_LEWA!_"

The two Gordanians laughed, tandem guffaws rocking the _Stormfront_ in emotions.

* * *

The cannon continued to power up, muzzle directly over the sextet.

"So," Beast Boy said, "after trashing a pizza place and a _perfectly good_ video store," he said this last part with much dramatics, "_now_ we've managed to make a humongous space gecko mad enough to vapourize our entire town?"

Cyborg soured. "Go team."

Tanika turned to Lewa and Robin and growled. "All the fault is YOURS!" she bellowed. "I _commanded_ you leave me alone, but you _INSISTED_ upon the being nice!"

Robin growled as well, sparks flying. "_MY fault?_ You blast me, you kiss me, but you never stop to mention they have a giant particle weapon?"

"_We didn't know!_" Lewa yelled.

"But that doesn't mean you should've let us go off to _fight_ them like that!"

"They were going to _capture_ her!"

"I thought they were just going to do _THAT!_"

Tanika's eyes glowed. "Could you not have called for help?" she said tersely. "Is there not a team of warriors to come to your aid?"

Robin screamed. "_The Justice League is on HIATUS!_"

"You shouldn't have _COME_ here!"

During this, Beast Boy, Cyborg, and the witch stood off to the side. Raven frowned, concentrating. "We are _doomed!_" Beast Boy whimpered, looking at Cyborg. "I can't _believe _I let you talk me into this!"

Cyborg gaped. "Say _WHAT?_ I was ready to walk before you-"

"**_QUIET!_**"

The yell echoed through the street, startling everyone enough to listen to the source… Raven. As five pairs of angry eyes turned on her, she struggled to come up with more words.

"Hi," she finally said, waving timidly. "I'm Rachel. Raven. Roth. Rachen. Rothen- _No!_ Don't- I'm just- just Raven. I'm… _Raven._"

Robin sighed. "Look," he said, turning to Lewa. "It doesn't matter _how_ we got into this mess. We're in it, and we _will _get out of it- together."

Tanika paused before nodding grimly; soon, Cyborg and Raven did so as well. Beast Boy smiled, corners of his mouth curved mischievously. Lewa felt Robin's gaze on him and breathed softly, mouth open.

"I- I don't know. I don't even know why I'm here- Gordanian just dumped me- should I? Onua said- look- sorry- I mean- not trying to- but- ugh- I- I mean- _oh, man,_ I don't-"

"Lewa."

The Toa looked up to see Robin offering his fist.

"Don't worry. We'll help get you through this."

Lewa stopped, eyes shifting around, to the city, then the ship, then the others and their encouraging smiles. Finally, he too smiled, determined expression on his face, and returned the gesture. Toa or not, he was going to help them.

Robin grinned. "Come on, then. We've got a city to save."

* * *

_Plink!_

As a tiny bell rang out, Glatorian and Matoran slung themselves into the tavern. The place was _surprisingly_ bare- a counter, some booths, and a few pictures littered the paneled brick walls, but other than that there was not much to say.

A few creatures- humans, Jon had said- sat by the counter, occupying some stools, but Malum ignored them. He could not understand them, and he did not want to invoke their wrath again. Akhmou probably felt the same way. So he and his companion took their place in one booth, giving a good view of the window and the darkening sky.

Music, some kind of jumpy tune with drums and a forceful sort of instrument, filled the bar. The Matoran sighed and put his head on the table. "So… what… do you… want?"

"Just… ale," the Glatorian replied.

Akhmou acknowledged this and went up to the counter to order. Malum leaned back, trying to fight off the darkness of sleep. All the day's running, fighting and driving had made him _very_ tired. He listened to some obnoxious screaming and _plinks_ of the door.

"Hey, dude, you okay?" someone asked.

"Yuh…" Malum slurred. "I'll… beh fine."

"All right. If you say so."

Akhmou reached the counter and frowned. He wasn't going to be able to get up there, was he? It was just like on Spherus Magna, except there weren't any Agori to balance out the size ratio. Damn humanoids.

The bartender, a stocky man in an Italianesque mustache, noticed his plight. "What can I get you, son?"

Akhmou frowned, and began to sign.

"Uh, hello? Son?"

Oh. He couldn't _see_ him. To the laughs of the bargoers, he manned a chair and signed faster.

"Ah, yes! Just ale, then? I can do that pretty quickly. It'll help out your sleepy friend over there," the bartender said, pointing to Malum.

Akhmou nodded and waited for the drinks to come, pouting as the bargoers ogled him and talked, seemingly wondering why a baby would come to their shop. When they did, he reached over and growled when he realized his arms were too short to do anything. _Karzahni!_ He was going to call upon Makuta to vapourize the place… except he _couldn't_. _Ugh._ The conman sighed as two large bearded men in leather jackets took him in their arms and gave him the drinks. Then they sat him down on his booth and patted his head.

"Uhn," the Matoran moaned. "I _hate_ Vahki."

"No kiddinguh," the Glatorian said, taking his ale. "Least they'ruh not Skrall, though."

"Skrall? Really? How bad are they?"

"Baduh enough to put uh scar on muh back…" He pointed to the position, a jagged cut lining the exposed tissue.

Akhmou stared in awe. "Wow. How'd they do that?"

"Welluh- I was walkin' through duh desert when Iah-"

"Malum? Why'd you stop?"

"Looks likes someonuh is here to see yuh…" Malum moaned, falling asleep.

"Oh, come on!" Akhmou slammed the table. Stay _up_, Malum, we need to find some place to stay-"

**_HELLO BASTICHES_**

* * *

YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE EXPECTING SOME STUPID DINGY COMMENTS IN HERE WERE YOU WELL FRAG YOU YOUR NOT GETTIN EM **NEXT CHAPTER**


	19. LOBO ADVENTURES

**CHAPTER 18 ITS LOBO TIME BASTICHES**

THE BASTICH SHIP WAS FLOATING ABOVE THE CITY AND I DONT THINK LEWA WAS TOO HAPPY WITH THAT

The Chronicler told the intruder to politely leave, as he was ruining the narration.

**SCREW YOU** BASTICH I DO WHAT I WANT

The Chronicler ignored this and asked for someone more coherent to write.

WHATRE YOU TALKIN ABOUT I THOUGHT **YOURE** THE WRITER

The intrepid writer sighed-

Okay, yes. I _am_.

**SEE** I **TOLD** Y**OU** ALSO WHATS UP WITH IGNORING THE THIRD PERSON WRITING THING YOU HAD

Your presence is bad enough for me to ignore it. That said, _get out_.

**AWW HOW** CMON I THOUGHT I WAS HELPIN

By ruining the cohesiveness of the mechanics and absolutely halting the flow of the story? NO.

**HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHHA** TOO **BAAD** FOR YOU IM FRAGGIN IN THE FANFICTION SUCK ON **THAT** LOSER

I DON'T CARE. LEAVE.

FRAG YOU MOTHER**FRAGGER** LOOK IM SWEARING WHERE ITS NOT ALLOWED **HAHAAHAHAHAHAHAH**

Good for you.

WOW THANKS ALSO LOOK AT THIS BASTICH

* * *

**Chapter EighteeHKLJKLHn: GoLOBO RULEZ! V**

The Gordanian ship floated over the city ZOOM IN SLIGHTLY, the gun continuing THEN TO AN EXTREME CLOSE-UP OF THE MAIN GUNS PULSATING BARREL INSIDEto warm up.

Stop.

im helpin you write THE STORY

Like _THIS? _Really, dude? Really?

yeah IM DOIN WHAT YOU WERE DOING AND STEALING THE STORY FROM A SCRIPT SITE

It's teeechnically not stealing. I'm not doing it to make any profit… although you _could_ consider the screams of thousands of fangirls as they read and review my story a profit.

NOBODY REALLY DOES THAT THOUGH

Yeah.

SHOULDNT YOU JUST WRITE YOUR OWN THING

That's what I'm doing.

OH YEAH THE WHOLE MALUM AND AKHMOU THING WHYD YOU PAIR **THOSE** CHARACTERS TOGETHER.

I thought they'd work well.

Leave.

BUT I HAVE TO FRAGGING APPEAR NEXT

Don't care. You're wasting space.

num NO DUDE I THOUGHT I WA

_Next _section. After… _this_ is the sequence where the group infiltrates the ship.

CAN YOU SKIIP IT

No. STOP.

PLEASE

NoPLEASE I'm noPLASEt helping you. StI WANNA FRAGGING APPEAR IN THE STORYop messing with my lines.

THIS AINT FAIR BASTICH

I'm not a bastich, you freaking idiot.

GET FRAGGEDthen to an extreme close-up of the main gun's pulsating barrel inside.

WHOOPS WRONG THING

* * *

The Gordanian ship floated over the city THERE WE GO

Dude. Stop. People are gonna think I'm an autist.

ARENT YOU ALREADY ONE FOR WRITING FANFICTION

Lots of people write fanfiction.

BUT NOT ME **OH** HOWRE YOU ACCESSING NOW I THOUGHT IT DIED

Stop looking at my tabs.

CHILL BASTICH IM NOT GONNA LOOK AT YOUR PRONZ OR ANYTHING

Screw you.

FRAG YOU TOO

* * *

Stop this, dumbass. You're going to bring everything to a f***ing screeching halt.

OOOH POTTY MOUTH

Yeah yeah. It's rated T. No harm done.

HAHAHA DO YOU KISS OYUR MOTHER WITH THAT **DOLPUN NOSE** HAHAHAHAHAHAH

You're not even _doing_ it right.

* * *

F***. Please. Have some sense.

LET ME WRITE THE NEXT SECTION AT LEAST

It's not even going to be that _LONG_, you impatient douche. Wait your turn.

FRAG YOU FRAG YOU FRAG YOU

* * *

**TLOBA****TITANS**

PART TW3O: LOBOO BECAME A HERO

UUUGH. GET OUT OF MY STORY. 

no

GET. OUT.

NO

F*** YOU! LEAVE!

FRAG YOU

GFeRtA GoYuOtU.

* * *

Okay f*** this. The Chronicler declared a NEW CHAPTER.


	20. Go! V

Okay. _Good._ I'm _back_.

God damn Czarnian.

Comments that _should_ have been at the end of the last chapter:

1. The video store scene wasn't intended to be that sensual. It just ended up happening that way. (Assume Starfire is really, _really_ hungry.)

2. Do you think Tahu and Onua are going to fight back?

3. Hope the bar section was well written. _In more ways than one. (_Are Malum and Akhmou _really_ that stupid as to land themselves in _jail?_)

Read and... wait. You can't yet. Just enjoy the read.

* * *

**Chapter Six/Eighteen: Go! V**

The Gordanian ship floated over the city, cannon continuing to warm up. Along a parallel catwalk, thousands of soldiers ran towards the open hatch. As they left, a large bubble of dark black energy rose through the catwalk and popped, revealing the six heroes. Beast Boy noticeably shivered, and Lewa couldn't exactly blame him. Raven had taken them to the ship using her powers, and for all intents and purposes, they were really-

"That dark energy stuff gives me the-"

Yeah, what he said, or was trying to say anyway.

Raven moved to Beast Boy, glaring at him angrily. "Uh…" He smiled broadly and gave her thumbs up. "I meant to say… it's cool! Hehehe…"

The Gordanians moved around a corner, Robin peeking through a doorway. "We have to get to the firing controls," he said softly, stepping out. "There isn't much time."

Lewa frowned. "What do _you_ know about firing controls, fire-spitter?"

"Enough to know that it can be turned off. What's with the name?"

The Toa smiled. "You… kind of remind me of someone."

"Oh, okay." The Boy Wonder moved to head in. "Go!"

Tanika flew after him, followed by Lewa and Cyborg. Beast Boy moved as well, tiptoeing quietly, but noticing Raven slowly advancing through the hallway, he shot a panicked glance back and ran after Lewa. Raven closed her eyes, and hung her head.

"Mind telling me why you're always by yourself?"

She sighed. "You heard the kid, Victor. I don't exactly… fit in."

The man put a comforting hand on her shoulder. The witch frowned at the repeated contact there. "He's green, half of me is metal, he's wearing a knockoff Halloween mask, and she's from space. You fit in just fine."

The message seemed to touch her quite well. Smiling slightly, Raven allowed him to push her towards the passage to rejoin the others.

Robin, Tanika, and Lewa stopped at another corner, waiting for any signs of the Gordanians.

Tanika bit her lip. "I bring you both…" she exhaled, "apology."

Robin smiled. "Don't worry about it. I'm sorry I yelled, too."

"And… I guess _I'm_ sorry for spouting off at you guys like that." Lewa winced. "It… tends to happen when I'm angry."

The girl beamed. "And again, you are… nice. On my world, only my k'norfka has shown me such kindness. On Lewa's, him and his friends."

Robin frowned then smiled again. "Well, things are different here."

The two looked at each other placidly, the Toa rolling his eyes, before Tanika blushed. Suddenly, Beast Boy appeared.

"Uh, guys?" he asked, pointing past her. "I think they know we're here!"

It was true; an alarm began to beep, bathing everything in red light, and a squadron of angry troops rushed over to capture them. Cyborg and Raven turned to this and gasped, another Gordanian jumping in front of them with a screech.

* * *

The cannon continued to power up, silver glow blinding citizens. At the control room, several graphs began to light up to show its rising energy levels. When it topped off, _finally_, staccatoed beeps filtering out of a speaker, Sm'ist's partner adjusting the controls. The Corporal turned past his partner to Tro'gaar, who was by now in the captain's chair, talking to other Gordanians (the media, he thought.)

"My Lord!" Sm' called.

"Hmm?"

The officer grinned wickedly. "The weapon has reached full power!"

Tro'gaar swiveled his chair around to him and grinned. He too knew it was time. "Well, well, well… then begin the firing sequence."

ist pressed a button, reveling in the glory of destroying a city. With some more beeps, the program displayed on the monitor changed from a schematic of the _Stormfront_ to a circle of Gordanian characters, another in its centre. As seconds ticked by, like tears in the rain, the marks began to disappear from the top down in a counter-clockwise fashion- a countdown, of course. How cliché.

Tro'gaar squeezed Kiina and Gresh, both held in his hands, and sneered. He was going to _destroy_ them. "The Earth scum shall learn…" he began, standing up, "it takes more than six juvenile heroes to defy the _mighty_ Lord _Tro'gaar_!"

In front of him, the weapon prepared to fire, rings of light activating from the base forward.

Tro'gaar smiled grimly. This was it. He was going to have his _revenge_. It didn't matter who; on the rutan'gah, on the Toa, on the Glatorian, or everyone else who had angered him; one press of a button, and they would all be _annihilated_ in a stream of protodermis. It may change them, sometimes for the better or sometimes for the worse, but as far as he was concerned, _they were all going to DIE for betraying him. _Nighty night, Gresh. Nighty night, Kiina. Nighty night, Lewa. Nighty night, rutan'g-

**_BOOOOM!_**

The door had been blown inward, the heroes standing in the acrid smoke. Tro'gaar hadn't taken care to make note of who they were, but they all seemed-

_Oh._

"We're _not_ six heroes," the hairy human said triumphantly. "We're one team."

Tro'gaar growled, face reddening in rutan'gah and the Toa, working together with filthy Earthlings. It was _so_ on now.

"_GET THEM!"_

Every Gordanian beside him jolted up, charging towards the team. Robin took the first shot, a powerful kick that slammed into Sm'ist's partner's neck and nearly snapped it. Cyborg joined the party next, jumping up, _slamming_ his fists down, and sending out a sheet of energy that took the other control men off their feet. Beast Boy, in the form of some kind of Sand Stalker, kicked two Citadel executives in the gut. Tanika charged her fists and uppercutted a reporter, sending him and his buglike camera crashing to the floor. Lewa faced a mysterious Gordanian; he couldn't quite get his occupation down-

_H'SSIAH. _

_HERE._

And he was holding Kiina (!) and Gresh (!) for Tro'gaar too. How nice of him!

"Let them _go_," Lewa snarled.

ssiah smiled. "Or _what? _You'll trigger a piddly 'Nova' Blast and try to kill us all?"

The Toa glowered, eyes lighting up. "You're _lucky_," he hissed. "Toa don't kill. But if I had the chance, I _certainly_ would."

"Well, what are you going to do now, Glatorian?" H' laughed. "Hah! What scum. You explicitly told me you were going to die, and now you come on here to take back your 'girlfriends'. Give me a break, Lewa. You're not going to amount to anything. You're _useless_."

"Useless enough to roundhouse-kick you in the face?"

The sergeant froze. "I- what-"

"**_HII-YAAH!_**"

**_WHAM!_**

A robotic foot flew in front of him and slammed harshly into his nose, burst of green hurting his eyes.

Overwhelmed by pain, H'ssiah crumpled to the floor, letting go of the actual Glatorian in the process.

Lewa dropped to the floor on his feet and smiled. "Speak-said it yourself, brother." He moved to hug his friends. "I _am _useless. I won't amount to anything tall-higher than beating an snake-alien officer to Karzahni. And I'm perfectly okay with that."

"_Lewa!_" Kiina sobbed as she held her friend in her grip. "Don't _ever_ do that again!"

"How could I? The whole thing was a complete mistake-accident."

Gresh sighed, lightly hugging Lewa. "I think she means try to stand up to Tahu next time."

Lewa froze "Oh… " He looked to the ground and shuffled his feet. "Can't exactly go back to him, now can we?"

"We could try," Kiina said.

"Yeah." It was true. As far as Lewa knew, the effects of Protodermis could not be reversed- but it wouldn't hurt to dispel that. Just not right now.

He slipped out of Kiina's grip, looked at the monitor, and frowned. "What now? I can't help but get the thought-feeling that we'll all be blown to Karzahni."

Kiina smiled, having that sneaky twinkle in her eyes. "You obviously seem to have some experience with the others. Go after them. We'll take care of any other Gordanians that come here."

Lewa gasped. "You _mean _it?"

The Tajunan twirled her trident, having found it in H'ssiah's coat. The Tesaran did the same. "Go get him, Tiger. He just hit the jackpot."

The Toa hugged them again, saluted, and ran off.

Meanwhile, Beast Boy stood alone in human form. Suddenly, more Gordanians appeared, prompting him to turn back into a kangaroo just long enough to power one in the stomach and slam another one with his tail. He quickly turned back into a human but froze when his ears picked up some slamming-

**_POW!_**

Lord Tro'gaar smashed into the deck with his arms, sending him flying back with a yell. He tried to reorient himself and get a grip on where he was going, but he unfortunately smashed against a wall and fell down it in an unconscious heap.

Tro'gaar growled. Another one bites the dust.

He roared and lumbered towards the boy, ready to crush him into a meel'o stew, but was quickly interrupted by the robed human, who quickly threw up a black shield. It seemed dangerous to touch, sparking when he tried, but the lord quickly ignored this. A few punches hit the shield, causing the human to back up towards the wall, buckling her knees. Tro'gaar crushed through the dark energy and raised his arms again. _Nighty night, freaks_. _Too curious of the world around them to know, but too ingrained in old traditions to care-_

**_OW!_**

The hairy boy had leaped onto his shoulder and knocked him off balance; struggling to right himself and take the imbicile out, he stumbled back and knocked into an officer who had been duelling the robotic human. Soon he had caught the boy, throwing him off his shoulder across the deck. For some reason, he was not hurt- he managed to flip over and land far away in a crouch. They had gotten smarter, Tro'gaar remarked with disdain.

The boy was soon back into the fray, delivering a hard-hitting left jab that knocked the Gordanian off balance. He followed this up with a spin kick, steel-toed boot sending him spiralling in a different direction. Finally he moved for a finishing blow, preparing to high kick him in the face, but Tro'gaar had caught on. He caught him mid-move with his massive hands and threw him towards the chair._ Good riddance._

The rutan'gah was by the chair as well, and froze upon seeing him crumple into it. "Robin!" she gasped.

So that was his name. _Robin._ Nighty night, Robin.

Tro'gaar snarled. Robin had associated himself with the rutan'gah, and willingly destroyed him and his property. He had violated the Constitution; he had every right to _kill_ the rutan'gah for her insolence… and as a matter of fact, he _would_.

He lumbered towards her, fists clenched in anger. The rutan'gah activated her starbolts and lifted off after him, slinging them in his direction as she flew. They tore into the deck and blinded him with their glare, but Tro'gaar ignored this and jumped after her; now even madder than before, he pushed her to the floor with his open hand. He lifted her and slammed her again for good measure. She struggled to break free for a moment then triggered a massive starbolt that _forced _him to let go.

Tro'gaar began to back up cautiously, not wanting to anger the little whelp, but was quickly sidelined by the robotic man, who ran across from a pile of Gordanians and landed a haymaker on his jaw. The attacker landed in front of the rutan'gah, the two moving to take him on in tandem. The lord raised a fist to prevent this, not wanting them to do so, but was quickly overwhelmed by a barrage of punches on every part of his body, each of which stung really badly. They didn't take him down, though. Using a three-punch strategy he had learned in royal training, he hit them both where it hurt; once on the robot's face, once on the rutan'gah's chest, and a final, more powerful one in between their legs. They quickly flew back, crashing into the wall besides a recovering Robin. _Night, you two._

As Cyborg's right arm hit the floor, the sonic analyzer broke, the blue panels falling off. He tried to hide this, covering the circuitry with his left hand, but the ever-vigilant Robin took notice. "Can you…" he started before rubbing his head. "Can you rewire that into some sort of weapon?"

Cyborg pursed his lips. "I can try-"

"Not so _fast_."

He looked at the others, both shocked, and frowned.

"He's- right behind me, isn't he?"

* * *

"The Gordanians may inflict much damage on Jump. Are you _sure_ we should stay off?"

"Yes, John. Watch. There is much power in this group."

Green Lantern looked at his friend disbelievingly. Martian Manhunter was usually very trustworthy, but sometimes his Martian heritage got the better of him, as could be seen here…

"What power?" he asked. "They can take those guys down pat pretty easily. I saw the whole thing at the Johns Video, but that was only one group of 'em… they're going after the _entire army!_ Oa is on yellow alert! Do we _honestly_ know what's going to happen?"

J'onn sighed. "Not completely. But they are all capable. You should just stay quiet and focus."

John pouted. "Yeah, I kind of got bored around the argument thing."

SAME AS ME BASTICH

Not _yet_, you idiot.

"It gets better. If you need any more proof, consult with my niece, M'gann."

"Megan?" Green Lantern tried to remember who she was, using his ring to guide him. "The White Martian? What about her?"

J'onn waved a suddenly growned tentacle, whispered in the Martian tongue, and turned away from the control panel to Stewart. "She was the one who first got the vision of the future. I have been getting help and reassurance from her."

"Don't know if you can get much reassurance from an overtly-enthused madwoman…"

"_Hi_, Uncle J'onn! Hello, Mr. Stewart!"

A green Martian with orange hair appeared. She was much more like a human than J'onn; her wide eyes, button nose, extravagant hairdo, and freckles were not too different from any other girl, if one ignored the black and red jumpsuit and blue cape. Her true form was much, much worse, though.

John glowered. "You told her our secret identities? That's putting us in danger-"

The girl, M'gann, beamed. "Don't worry, Mr. Stewart! Uncle John told me I had to take extra care of 'em, since they're so important. You won't be seeing any slip ups from me, no siree!"

"Okay then. What's all this with the Gordanians and the aliens and the lions?"

M'gann giggled, throwing her arm down. "Hah, lions! You're so _funny_, Mr. Stewart!" She quickly composed herself and coughed. "The Gordanians just came in from an intergalactic flight, looking for the princess of Tamaran."

"Tamaran?" Green Lantern raised an eyebrow. "Never heard of it."

"It is a place of superpowered humanoids," Martian Manhunter commented. "People there can fly, lift heavy weight, survive extreme temperatures, instantly know new languages, and utilize energy as a weapon."

"Yeah, they evolved from cats! Unreal!" M'gann frowned. "How's that possible, anyway?"

"You tell me."

She grinned. "Okay! I _think_ there used to be a tribe of kittens that were accidentally lifted on a distant planet- so _cute!_ They walked around for a while, and were sad, but then they needed to _not _be sad, so the planet gave them their very own-"

"_M'gann!" _John yelled. The Martian girl froze.

"Stay on topic, please."

M'gann laughed sheepishly and bopped the ridge of her hand into her forehead. "Hello, Megan! Sorry, Mr. Stewart. I'll try my best.

So Koryand'r is the princess of Tamaran, right? They captured her because they wanted some kind of prisoner, and she was the best one they could find! That's really, really-" M'gann paused. "Oh. Right.

Well, they took her and did some things with her- I'm not sure what- and she got so angry she escaped. Good for her! Then she ended up on some random planet… sphere? Big sphere? Oh yeah. That's _definitely _its name.

She went there, and something happened which I wasn't able to see, and the Gordanians followed her. A slaver always wants his slave. Then something _else_ happened… I really need to teach my mind a lesson… and she and a few others were captured again. Then they left."

Green Lantern touched his lips, remembering this information. "Anything else interesting? Like why they're on Earth?"

"Oh, _yeah_! Hello, Megan! She was prisoner for a while, then she left, and I think she chose Earth because it was the closest place she could find…"

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh!" M'gann scrunched her cheeks with her palms. "It's just so _shocking!_

So she's on Earth right now, and I _think_ they were fighting- Robin and her, right? Totally in love," she sighed, clasping her fists together. "Oops, almost forgot. Then others joined them- Uncle J'onn said you met up with this one demon girl, right?"

J'onn frowned. "I did not know she was a demon."

"Hello, Megan! I just found out about it this morning!"

"Ah. Very interesting. Do you know of which?"

"No idea, sorry…" She hung her head. "That why you sent her away?"

John facepalmed. This girl was _really _getting on his nerves. "We sent her away because YOU told us to!"

"Oh yeah, right! Hello-"

"_Please_ stop using jokes from that stupid TV show!"

She whimpered, dramatically sobbing. "Hello Megan is _not_ stupid!"

"Yeah, if you're a teen."

M'gann glared at him. "I _am_ a teen!"

He banged the wall with his head, now infinitely angry. "Good lord, child, just tell us what's going to _happen!_"

The Martian perked. "Okay! Jeez, silly billy. You could've just _asked_."

"I _did _ask-"

"Try to be nicer next time!

Right now they're on the ship to take on the Gordanians, because Robin led them in taking them on at that store, and they want to get back at Earth by using a cannon! I don't know if they'll win or not- gosh, I _hope_ they win- but like Uncle J'onn said, they're really really powerful! Especially Raven! I don't think you should be worried!"

John sighed. "I don't know if the visions of a bubbly teenage Martian girl are going to help me."

She frowned. "Well, if it makes you feel any better… they do stuff in the future. I kept seeing T's. Plus Robin was in a team before, right? T for team? Omigosh! That's amazingly _prophetic_."

"That is _enough_, my niece. You may go visit Wonder Girl now."

M'gann hugged Martian Manhunter and saluted. "Okay, Uncle J'onn! Bye! Bye, Mr. Stewart! I'll see you both later!"

Green Lantern moaned in relief and took a seat. "That child is a _mess_."

"Do not blame her," J'onn said. "It is merely her personality. If we wish for her to grow as a hero, she must be allowed to indulge in her quirks."

"How can _anyone_ like her improve?"

"It will take time. And like she said, there is no reason to worry." Manhunter smiled, watching the monitor. "They _do_ 'do stuff in the future,' after all."

John smiled as well. "Okay, J'onn. If you say so."

* * *

TROGAAR SMILED EVILLY BUT IN REALITY HE WAS ANGRY. HE AND SOME OTHERS CAME UP TO THEM AND

Oh my _GOD!_ Can't you stay patient for at least _one_ motherf***ing _SECTION?_

NO

_Learn _to. This part's almost over, anyway.

OKAY IM LEAVING BUT JUST RMEMBERB I ACTUALLY SPELLED HIS NAME RIGHT.

Yeah. _Whatever._

Tro'gaar and the other Gordanians advanced behind them, the lord smiling evilly. "Yes," he hissed. "Yes I am."

"Don't try anything," Robin growled. "You won't like it if we-"

"You won't like it if I _what_, hairy boy? Punch you into pulp? That outcome is pretty inevitable with us Gordanians. Have you seen your 'team' since knocking down the door to my throne room?"

Robin frowned. Cyborg and Tan… Tannicker were with him, but Lewa and Beast Boy had not shown up after their fights, and Raven had all but disappeared…

He scowled. "No. They're not gone. Don't insinuate that."

"I know Lewa," Tro'gaar said, "if only a bit. He was very crafty and sly. If my men are anything to go by, he will have abandoned you as a coward."

"That is _NOT_ true!" Tanika shouted.

"_You are not much better, troq,_" he hissed. She gasped. "Sorry. I had to shock you all to your senses. Trust me when I say he is one to die unloved."

Cyborg looked up at Tro'gaar and glared. "Aw, man, that's not right at all!" Robin and Tanika looked at him and he grinned. "I mean… I know we fought a bit, but he's a pretty cool guy! Could certainly beat the snot out of you lizards-"

_WHUMP!_ "Don't try anything, whelp!"

Cyborg rubbed his head. "Jeez, forget I asked," he mumbed.

The Gordanians advanced further, about to hem them in. Tro'gaar smiled insanely. "Goodbye, humans and rutan'gah. It has _not_ been fun." He drew out the claws on one of his hands, placing them precariously over the group. "I would give you the Speech of Death, but for violating the Constitution _thricefold, _I feel it not to be worth much." The claws were brought to Tanika's neck, drawing a tiny bit of blood. "You will be the first to _die_, pitiful GIRL-"

"_Hands off, lizard-breath!_"

The Gordanians frowned, unsure of the new threat. "Come out, troq!"

The voice sighed. "If you insist."

With a gust of wind, a tall figure jumped in, slashing a weapon a few times before landing at his feet. He got up and smiled.

Tanika gasped. "_Lewa!_"

"Yeah, it's me. Ever-sorry, ever-sorry, ever-sorry for being so late, I was preoccupied-busy with the other Gordanians."

"It's okay," Robin said. "You were helping in whatever way you could."

"But what if I'd not listen-heard?"

"I would have come for _you _too," Tro'gaar bellowed. "Went after H'ssiah, now did you? Tell me, Toa," he said, bringing up his claws, "how did his blood taste?"

Lewa frowned. "I didn't drink-taste his blood."

"He was beaten savagely. I _know_ some bloodlust was involved."

"Well yeah, _duh!_" The Toa rolled his eyes. "He destroy-exploded my house-home, kidnapped-took my heart-friends and hard-threw me in protodermis. Of _course_ I was gonna get angry-mad!"

Tro'gaar rubbed his claws together. "To such a degree-"

"Okay, okay, _time out!_" Cyborg held his palms together in a T-shape. "First off, _get to the point already_. Second- Lewa- could you _try_ to speak more normally?" He rubbed the organic part of his head. "Your compound speech is givin' me a headache."

Lewa looked sullen. "But I _like_ using tree-speak!"

"I said _try_."

The Toa sighed. "All right, I'll do what I can. Just as well; Kiina and Gresh were getting tired of it too."

"Ah, 'Kiina' and 'Gresh.'" Tro'gaar smiled. "What of them? What do they think of you? Are they just as mad towards you as you to me?"

Lewa growled. "Okay, we're _not_ doing this!" He held up his sword. "Already _solved_ my self-confidence issues. I'm useless and I'm proud."

"Does it help your 'friends?'" the Gordanian said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"If I have to, I'll ignore 'em. This fight is between you and me, Tro'gaar, and I want revenge for the destruction of my Glatorian's Guide. Leave everything else out and hit me for that."

The lord froze before laughing. The others looked at him concernedly. "Pff! What a _pitiful_ reason! You _seriously_ tell me that the health of your friends is not worth fighting over?"

"Yes. They're fighting for that on their own." Lewa smiled, then snarled. "It was a mint edition, you Karzahni-spawn."

The Gordanian stared at him in disbelief. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"In my book," the Toa said as he jumped high up, "a whole… freaking… _LOT!_ _Haaah!_"

**_WHACK!_**

On the downward curve of his jump, Lewa had drew his right arm back, pulled it in forcefully, and hit Tro'gaar's face with his Skyblaster _so hard_ that the Gordanian had actually been knocked _down_. Lewa dropped on the floor and smiled. "Good riddance."

Tanika squealed. "Oh, well _done_, friend!"

"Nicely played," Cyborg admitted. "I- oh, man, he's _back up!_"

The Toa looked to Tro'gaar and paled. Karz, he _was_… and not only was he now even _angrier_ than before, steam literally billowing out of his ears, but Lewa now had no weapon to deal blunt damage with… the weapon had been destroyed, lying in silvery pieces on the ground. A small zamor sphere rolled out.

"I'm done for, aren't I?"

Tro'gaar laughed dementedly and smiled savagely. "You… are!" He drew out the claws of his other hand and walked towards the Toa shakily. "You most certainly, _certainly_ are! Say _goodbye_, Toa Lewa-"

"_Get away from my friends!_"

Tro'gaar looked to this new threat and grinned ear to ear. "Oh, _hello_ there. _So _nice to see you again, daughter of-"

"Shut up," the voice intoned menacingly.

"_Raven!_"

She was a bit battered, Tro'gaar's fistshaving got the better of her, but she seemed alright, able to support a limping Beast Boy in one arm and keep an aura in the other.

"Yeah, it's me. What do you want from them, Tro'gaar?"

"What do you think?" The lord laughed. "I want them to _die_. In time, I will want you, too." He turned to Raven. "It's funny because you _will_! Once Tri- oh, _excuse me_, _Trianglular Polygon Demon_- comes to play, that is."

"That's not important," Raven said, eyes beginning to glow white. "Keep off of them."

"And risk having my beloved crew _killed_? No way!" Tro'gaar waved to the group, showing the all the full extent of his claws. "_You are not getting off of this ship_," he whispered. "Not today, not tomorrow, not _ever. _Scum like you _deserves_ a horrible death-"

He noticed Raven was not reacting and frowned. "Any last words?"

"Azarath," she mumbled.

Tro'gaar frowned. "What does _that_ mean?"

"Azarath metrion."

Tro'gaar screamed. "That does not _MEAN_ anything, you useless little _troq! AAGH! _I _demand_ you say something useless before I rip you all apart with my claws, death from death, limb from limb-"

"Azarath metrion ZINTHOS!"

The room was bathed in a black light, everything turned negative in the process.

The Gordanian gaped, claws by his sides. "Uh oh-"

**_BOOOOOOOOM!_**

FRAG YEAH BASTICHES

The bridge stayed silent for a bit before it exploded, everything being destroyed in a violent wind. Unable to support itself without the cannon, the _Stormfront _began to fall, plummeting towards the bay and impacting the water with a loud, messy **_SPLASH! _**Waves created by the force washed over the craft, receding to show that the remains of the captain's room remained _mostly_ intact. As it began to sink, the unconscious troops did so as well; wet but alive, Cyborg, Tanika, Robin, and Lewa got up.

Lewa sighed in relief, wiping off his mask. "_Whew! _I'm glad _that's_ over-"

Oh no.

Tro'gaar got up too. He was still _very_ much alive.

* * *

Aand _Go!_ is just about finished! One more scene, then a bit of interstitial until we reach the actual episodes. That will be pretty exciting.

1. I read a recent fanfic where someone explained what happened in between the future Titans going off and appearing in the ship. I don't know if I should try to guesstimate that as well. Ideas?

2. Payback's a _bitch_, H'ssiah! Hell yes.

3. Did I mess up M'gann's character? I know I messed up M'gann's character. I don't know _how_, but I'm _sure_ I did.

4. Raven saves the day. I have to agree with _Lobo_ on this one. Frag yeah.

5. I _hope_ nobody thinks Kiina and Gresh are dead. These are _comics__, remember?_ )

Read and... okay, _now_ you can review! Please?


	21. Go! VI

Akhmou waited for a moment then frowned. "Um, Malum? Who is it that's supposed to see me?"

A new figure app

_Wait._

The conman rolled his eyes. "_Maaalum? _Come _on! _Why did you tell me something then?"

A few moments passed. Nothing happened.

_Go f***ing figure._

**_LOBO!_**

…

**_GET THE F*** OVER HERE, YOU LAZY JERKASS!_**

WHAT WHATS WRONG

It's your _turn_.

UM NO IT ISNT YOU TOLD ME I HAD TO WAIT

And now you don't! Get in the scene!

REALLY I CAN

Yes. _Go._ Before I _make _you enter the story.

HAHAHA YOU WOULDNT. AAW THANKS FOR YOUR HELP CHRONICLER

Urk… Lobo! Get _off_ of me!

WHATS WRONG YOU TOO MUCH OF A **PANSY **TO APPRECIATE A GOOD HUG HMM

No. You're _hurting_ me.

STARFIRE DOESNT

She's not real- neither are you, for that matter. And her name's not Starfire yet.

UHH NO ITS STARFIRE NOT THAT FRAGGING STUPID NAME YOU GAVE HER. TANIKA REALLY HAHAHA

Get fhe f*** in the buck.

THE WHAT

The book! GO!

NO WAIT I HAVENT EVEN

* * *

Akhmou sighed and tapped his robotic fingers on the table. If the Glatorian intended him to wait, he was doing a really good job-

HELLO BASTICH Lobo said.

(Quieter. You don't want to scare him.)

UMM like this also not using the chronicler thing

(I need to direct you in a clearer way. Punctuate.)

umm like this? wow, that makes things **so **much easier. thanks, bastich.

(You're… welcome. Now add capitalization and stop abusing the bold tool, and you should be fine!)

i… I dunno, bastich. Is this really a good idea? I mean, what if those frags laugh at me for my classy spelling-

(F*** this. Just TALK.)

"Um… hello," Akhmou said. "Who are you?"

"I already told you, I'm Lobo," Lobo said. (No, you didn't. He can't see through his lines.)

"What? Really? I thought he could?"

The Matoran frowned. "Malum said you had to talk to me?"

"Yeah," he said. "Just a minute." What's up with **that**, dude?

(Jesus Christ. That won't _work_. Speak to me like this.)

Really? (This is fragging dumb…)

(It keeps the continuity of the story, more or less. There are times when I put on the Chronicler persona, but that's pretty much it.)

Can't I speak like this, bastich?

Kinda hard to distinguish between prose and asides, the Chronicler remarked. Lobo frowned and said that was also pretty fragging stupid. (Author-speak doesn't allow for that.)

(For what?)

(Your own quirks. The author is supposed to remain neutral. No self-inserts.)

(Okay, _fine. _Anything _else_ I need to learn?)

(Uh… No. You're good. :))

(Is that an emoticon?)

(Yeah. No dialogue tags. Talk to the f***ing Matoran, you douche.)

Akhmou looked at the man, now a little bit scared.

Lobo winced and smiled. "I'm… Lobo, space bounty hunter extraordinaire" he said (smoothly. Don't be so static.)

"Well…" The conman held up a fist. "I'm Akhmou. Ex-conman shadow servant inferiordinaire… is that even a word?"

Lobo frowned and returned it. "I don't… think so." (It isn't right?)

The Chronicler said it was not. (Oh, c'mon. Actually talk to me.)

He also added that Lobo should stick with the script.

"Okay!" Akhmou smiled. "So, why're you here?"

"I… have a contract," Lobo said. He froze then put a hand on the Matoran's mask. "With you guys! Yeah!"

"Really?"

"Yeah." The hunter (Czarnian.) (Oh, _now_ you tell me) took a seat beside his new acquaintance, staring at the Glatorian inquisitively. "What's up with him?" (What's up with him?)

"He's kind of… sleepy." Akhmou yawned. "And I guess I kind of am as well."

"Righto," Lobo chirped. "Before you guys do, though, I should probably outline the terms…" He pulled a portfolio out of his leather-spiked backpack and laid it out flat, allowing the two to speak. (I didn't know I had that.)

(:/)

(Um, bastich? When did I _get_ that?)

Author guy?

…

Frag this.

Malum awoke, eyes partly closed but still awake. "What's up, guys?"

"Lobo. Space bounty hunter extraordinaire," Akhmou recalled. "You send for him?"

"Yeah, I think so. What's the contract, again?"

The Czarnian set aside some photos and a form. "It's for finding Lewa."

The Glatorian perked. "Oh, right! That was me."

"But _WHY?_"

He shrugged. "I was worried about the humans and the police. Lobo here is going to help us retrieve him without breaking sweat."

The hunter smiled. "Yup, that's what I'm here for! Count on me, guys. Those bastiches who did that to your friend ain't gonna be fragging around any longer."

Both winced. (That normal? No?)

"Okay, here's the plan," Lobo said as he indicated the photos. "Lewa seems to have appeared somewhere near Jump City; my guess is the water. Everyone ends up there. He must've gotten out, obviously, but that _is_ where he started.

He's still hangin' around Jump, doin' his whole hero shtick. Probably will for about a week before he burns out or is killed." Akhmou gaped. "Sorry, kid. Them's the breaks. (It's not terribly true, though… everyone seems to come back sooner or later. Also, don't I have an accent?)

(For the sake of our sanity, no.)

(But that Blues Brothers guy got one!)

(Because… he needed it. You don't. F*** off.)

"That, of course, gives us a week to head out there and find him."

"Great," Malum said. "How will we get there?"

Lobo smiled. "Easy. We take my magic space dolphin and we should be there no time flat."

Akhmou gaped. "Space… dolphin?"

"Yeah! She's out back! Hey, bastich!" he called.

A dolphin, surprisingly enough, chirped back.

"I also got the Space Hog, if you losers wanna take that. If you want the action, though… you take Shirley. She'll _love _it."

"Shirley?" Malum groaned, curtains of his eyelids threatening to close on the play that was this story. "You're joking."

"I'm not. And don't call me Shirley."

(That's _NOT_ how the joke _WORKS!_)

(Really? … How?)

('Surely you jest.' 'I am, and don't call me Shirley'. Never name the object of your joke the f***ing PUNCHLINE.)

('Kay, whatever. Shirley spits in your face.)

(Whee. Unknown genetic material from another planet. This is _fun!_)

"Can we actually… ride it?"

Lobo smiled. "Her. And yeah. We should probably go; drink down your ale, bastiches."

"Stop _calling _us that!" (Actually don't. It's nice and funny… unlike the _rest_ of you, that is.)

The two quickly chugged it down, Lobo stealing some to throw on another patron's face. The bargoers, who were at this time singing merrily in the centre of the room, gasped, turned to the hunter, and charged for his face. Lobo sighed and swung at them with his hook, impaling them in one clean strike.

(Thanks for cutting _that_ down, douchef***. It seemed interesting. Nice job with the hook, though… bit gruesome, eh?)

(It would've dragged.)

(Hmm… nah. I could've made it work.)

(You're a brony, aren't you?)

(F***ing mind reader. GET OUT OF THE BAR!)

He groaned, tipped the bartender, stepped over the entrails and went out of the bar- plink- took the by now sleeping Akhmou and Malum in his arms, loaded them onto Shirley, and took a seat on the Space Hog. As he turned on the ignition, and let the vehicle reach for the stars, Lobo grinned. It was time for things to get real.

That felt kind of weak.

IM MAKIN FRAG HAPPEN BASTICH

Yeah. Suuure. In my eyes you're just padding.

SAYS THE GUY WHO KEPT USELESS STORIES GOING ON FOR 5 TO 10 PAGES

F*** you!

* * *

Tro'gaar whirled around to face the group, complete insanity written on his face. For a moment, he stayed still, twitching and jerking sending droplets of water everywhere; then, he laughed maniacally and walked towards them. Beast Boy, Raven and Lewa were directly in his path, darkening under the growing shadow, and the male visibly cowered a bit (Raven did not respond.) Extending the claws on his left hand farther than he had before, he chuckled before darkly whispering, "It is over. It is time to die." The silver protrusions dug into Raven's jewel, threatening to rip it off-

**_FWIPFWIPFWIIIIIIIIIIIP_**

"UHN!"

A brilliant blue-white flash had suddenly appeared, flying through the air and connecting with his back. Extreme pain overwhelmed Tro'gaar, insides churning faster than ever. He felt weak- was he going to die? No- no, he could _not!_ That one Private who the rutan'gah had killed was killed by her alone- and _six people_ had defeated him! It was not fair- not fair at all- he wasn't going to go down- it was embarrassing-

_WHUMP._

Down Tro'gaar went, collapsing to his knees before falling flat on his face. Robin, Tanika, and the attacked looked on in awe. Directly behind the Gordanian, a tiny wisp of smoke filtered into the sky- behind that, a gun, held aloft by an eagerly smiling robotic male. Cyborg_. _So he _had_ managed to rewire it after all. As the gun powered down, fading from neon blue to cerulean, Cyborg chuckled and pumped his fist.

"All right," he said, "I'm only gonna say this once." Another celebration shot was fired into the sky, and he grinned. "_BOOYAH!_"

* * *

The sound of clapping reverberated through the room, each superhero thrilled that the invasion had been stopped. As it died down, Flash managing to get in an "We rock!" before being shut up, Superman coughed and took to a podium.

"All right, all right, settle down," he said.

"But we _are_ settled," Hawkgirl replied concernedly.

Superman frowned. "I know." He coughed again, turning on a projector that displayed a video feed of the _Stormfront_'s destruction. "As you're all aware, the Gordanian invasion was only _just_ stopped a few hours ago."

Flash hooted and was tied up in Wonder Woman's lasso.

"Was quite the team effort not to put ourselves into the ring, but I think we can all recognize that there were a few displays of teamwork that stood out. For one, I have to commend Martian Manhunter and his niece, Miss Martian for their work in uncovering this mystery. I don't think things would have worked out too well if we'd gone in unknowing."

Everyone clapped and cheered, Manhunter smiling and bowing. "It was my pleasure. This was one of the few times when it was important to be prepared for any situation."

"Woo! Go J'onn!"

"_Wally!"_

"No, he is right. I think this is deserved," Manhunter said. "You must realize it is not often that I am able to get out of the Watchtower and work."

More clapping. Superman smiled as the feed showed a breaking news report on the event. "Second…" He froze and winced. "Well, I don't think anyone is going to be happy about this at all."

The League looked at him curiously.

"He's… been in the spotlight a bit _too_ much as of late."

Wonder Woman raised an eyebrow. "I would not think we would _chastise_ him for that. It is nice for everyone to get publicity."

"Yeah, Diana, I know… but… see…" For a moment he stood there, eyes glassy and glazed. Then he slammed his head on the podium and sighed.

"It's Batman."

The room was uncharacteristically silent now. Batman took to the stage and glared at his audience. Then he turned to Superman and glared harder. "Why me?"

"Well… Batman, though it may not seem so, played a huge part as well. The leader of the group that infiltrated the Gordanian ship was _Robin_- hard to believe, I know- and being Bruce's sidekick he had enough star power to get everyone to evacuate the city."

Flash grinned. "I love you, Batman!"

Bruce sighed. "I… love you too. Look… Clark… this is… nice and all, but… don't you agree that I don't _need _another award?"

"It's not an award. Just a show of credit from the team."

"But… is it necessary? Haven't I been loved on too much?"

The report switched to images of the fight at the Johns Video. Clark smiled reassuringly. "Well… we figured you'd been having a rough patch, what with losing a sidekick and all, so… if it makes you feel any better, I'm not actually the one kowtowing to you. That was Aquaman's idea." Said hero waved.

"Thanks, then. I hope we can do great things in the future."

"Hey, don't you have another Robin in the woodworks?" Hawkgirl asked. "How's he coming along?"

Bruce frowned. "Well, he's doing great…"

* * *

The three men stood alone in the street, plotting. A shadow watched them from the distance; suddenly, it struck.

"_Hah! Hyaah! Hoaah!_"

With three quick punches, the men were brought down. Standing to its full height, the figure sneered. "Stop right there, criminal scum!"

"Sir…"

"Penguin may have been able to keep the codes away from me, but he downright quacked it up giving them to you!"

"Master Todd."

"Not _now_!" Master Todd smiled. "You mean you didn't _know?_ Hah! I downright _pity_ you. Gotham shouldn't have to deal with your messes." A small piece of metal was brought up. "_Take this!_"

_SMASH!_

"_Jason!_"

As the remains of the criminals fell to the floor, Jason/Master Todd looked at his handiwork, gazed back, and grinned. "How'd I…"

"I do not think Master Bruce will be very happy with this, Master Todd."

Jason Todd turned back to the broken pieces of Bruce Wayne's priceless Chinese vase and chuckled sheepishly. "Oh. Um… I can fix that."

* * *

"Really, really great," he finished. Jason had been severely punished for that (by cleaning the Batcave, of course.)

Superman beamed. "Well, we're really happy to hear that. What about Dick?"

The news report showed the remains of the ship in the bay. "It's quite clear that the Gordanians will never threaten our emerald Earth again. With that said," the reporter commented, "we needed to talk to the intrepid leader of this victory: Robin!"

Everyone paled.

"Um… uh… it was nothing _too_ major, I guess. Just went with instincts and what I knew. Should really be crediting these other guys over here." Robin gestured to the other heroes.

"That's quite the impressive lineup. How does it feel knowing you worked with a member of the Doom Patrol and a highly-ranked scientist at STAR Labs, not to mention some aliens?"

"Pretty… good? Dunno. It's kinda hard to quantify, what with the weirdness of it and all. To be honest, it kinda felt like I was working with… Batman and Batgirl… again."

Batman's eyes widened.

"How do you think he would react to this?"

"Well…" Robin sighed. "For starters, he'd be pretty mad at me for attempting something so dangerous on my own. And I can't say he's not right. But… he'd also be proud. Proud of me for pulling it off without his help, with a sudden onset and scarce resources. Proud of me for getting people's admiration for once. Most important, though… he'd be proud of me for standing up. For doing what is right and helping those who need it. It's kind of what we do."

He looked straight into the camera and narrowed his eyebrows. "Batman, if you're watching this, and I'm pretty sure you are, I just wanted to say… I'm sorry. And thanks. It felt really nice to do something like this on my own, and I know I did it while exploiting you. You may not find it in your heart to forgive me, and that's okay, because I'm not really sure I will either. Just know that I'm doing fine, all things considered. I'll be perfectly fine."

The League gave a standing ovation, Batman smiling and taking the rare moment to cry. Green Lantern patted him on the back, and Wonder Woman gave him a great big hug. Superman tried to fistbump him, but failed dramatically and caused everyone to laugh. Then they sat down again.

"Amazing. I seem to remember there being two others, though… What of Bionicle? And the girl… Firestar?"

Robin smiled. "They're… kind of busy at the moment."

* * *

"I still do not the know how you were able to get us down here… but thanks."

"Hey, don't speak-mention it. It was the _least_ I could do after everything I've gotten us into."

They were inside the remnants of the _Stormfront_, most of it having disintegrated after Raven's spell. Robin had sent Lewa and Tanika down to check it out, the Toa using his adaptive armour and Kaukau to help them to it. At the moment, they inhabited a small wardrobe where the girl claimed she would find the Zorkan Jewels, priceless relics of Tamaran and a symbol of the Royal House.

"It would be the blasé to claim that I am not responsible as well."

Lewa smiled, sifting through some Gordanian Army uniforms and a large grey katana. "Yeeeah… but I shouldn't have been so late-knowing. Got too carried away and was bog-foot on the up-swing."

"I understand," Tanika frowned, "but by escaping and fighting you I too caused much of the problems…"

Lewa took Tanika in one arm. "No use past-stressing. Happy-cheer and look to the bright-future." He picked up the katana. "What speak-say you about this?"

She beamed. "It is quite the weapon! Although…" The girl winced. "I do not know if you will have much use for it. You were able to take on Lord Tro'gaar very well."

"He's Lord _Tro'gaar_, though. What if we… sorry… _I_ face a much-big threat? I need protection. Besides, I liked my katana. The Skyblaster was nice, but didn't much do it for me."

"I suppose." Tanika moved out of Lewa's hold and showed him an armband, jewel embedded. "These were the bracers I used in my more… casual clothing. I feel it would be the better if I wore them. I would not be so feared."

The Toa frowned. "You're not quick-thinking of going back? Kiina and I had a short talk-discussion about trying to find a way leaf-home. Would you be thought-interested?"

Tanika froze then blushed. "No… not the very. I do not feel like engaging my sister at this time. She has taken over the royal family, you see."

"Your sister?"

She darkened and went back to sifting through a pile of clothes. "Yes. Komand'r. Kranika. The dark energies of a star."

"Ah. She not… ever-pleasant?"

"No. Not in the _least_."

"Huh. Nice of you to speak-tell me then."

"_Nice_. Thank… you for calling me that." Finishing sifting through the pile, she showed Lewa an outfit. "Do you suppose these would work?"

He raised a maskbrow. "For what? Ever-pleasing everyone?"

"Yes." Tanika sighed. "When I first arrived on the Earth, I saw the faces of people who… opposed me… they were _not_ nice. Mean even. I figured it was because of my outfit and my powers. I do not wish to feel the horrible all the time to take my powers away, so I suppose, as I said, I will complement them with my casual wear as opposed to my formal one. You were one of the few to approve of my outfit before, so… do you now?"

Lewa beamed. "Yeah, go right ahead!"

The girl smiled and took off her boots. "If you say so. I must ask, though…" she said as she began unwrapping the metallic coverings, "you spent much time with Robin and the others before I did. I was too angry to care. Are they… as nice as they appear?"

The Toa picked up the katana. "I _guess_. They're Toa-heroes after all."

Coverings falling on the floor, Tanika next pulled her top over her head. Two strange orbs fell out, bouncing around before stopping. Lewa frowned. Those hadn't been there before… He felt the need to ask, but imagined that if the alien kept them covered they weren't something she wanted him to see-

"Oh, you are curious about the fat glands?" Tanika smiled and copped them in her hands, inviting Lewa to do so as well. They were soft and bouncy and felt warm in his hands. "These are my grebnaks. They hold milk for the time when I will need it."

"But you'd dark-hidden them under your armour." Lewa reddened. "Why are you so okay with letting me hold them?"

Tanika sighed, pulling her skirt down. "It is true that we must cover them most of the time, for it is the disrespectful to blatantly show them… but there is no problem in the showing them when one wishes. We wish for everyone to be happy with their bodies."

The Toa bit his lip and turned away. "All right… whatever you want…" She kicked the skirt away and he blushed harder. "I don't- I shouldn't look-watch. It seems kind of lewd-"

She beamed and hugged him, grebnaks pushing against his stomach like the pouches on ghekula. For some reason, the move hurt him even less. "I have none of the issue, friend! You do not endeavour to demean me, after all."

"I- guess…"

They stayed like that for a moment before Tanika gasped and put him down. "Oh, we should be leaving! Robin will be wondering what we are doing." She grinned. "I _hope_ he does not think we are doing the-"

"_Tanika!_" Lewa put a hand out dismissingly. "Too much information." He peered out of the room and looked to the surface. "You're quite-right. We probably should."

"Why do you the worry, friend? I have no issue with making the interaction to you both."

"It's just- I only _recently_ listen-heard about the… thing that Agori and Glatorian do to make children, and it kinda…" He sighed. "Grossed me out."

His friend put a hand on him reassuringly. "Do not be. It is quite the beautiful." She held out the outfit, a peppy purple thing resembling the old black getup… with a bit less on it. So _this_ was what Tanika wore casually. No wonder she thought people wouldn't have feared her. "This is it. I ask for your opinion again, now that you can see it clearly."

Lewa smiled. "Looks good!"

"Very well then," she said, pulling it on. "Do you suppose _you_ should don an outfit as well? So that the people here will not the fear you?"

He thought about this. Cyborg had been wearing an outfit at the beginning- but that was only to cover his robotic parts, to keep people from seeing. When the Gordanians had destroyed it, he hadn't seemed to mind. Then _again_, though, Lewa _did _want to keep a low profile, in case Tahu found out he was here, and he _had_ told Robin that he'd wanted to see what "real" Toa do… so he would. Why not? When in Rome, do what the Romans do.

* * *

Morning dawned on Jump City, the growing light of the sun reflecting off the bay and bathing everything in a rich orange glow. Seagulls called out to each other from the pier, and the metropolis rang out with the sound of horns. A small barge journeyed across the water, passing Haney Island- and the titans with it. Robin, Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy stood on the shore near the Gordanians' landing craft, cool summer breeze ruffling their hair (or Cyborg's lack of it.)

Raven smiled partially. "That's quite a view."

"Somebody oughta build a house out here," Cyborg said, looking at the landing craft.

Beast Boy beamed. "Yeah, if you like sunshine and the beach!" He dug an elbow into Raven's side, playful look in his eyes.

The witch frowned before smirking a bit and laughing softly. "You know," she said turning to Beast Boy, "you're kind of funny.

He gasped at this and perked, ears stiffening. "_You think I'm funny?_" He laughed, eyes twinkling. "_DUDE! _I know some jokes!"

Whatever affection Raven had for the boy before this was shattered, the witch recoiling and one eyebrow twitching. Behind her, near the craft itself, a violet and an azure boot lowered themselves onto the ground.

"Hey, guys," Lewa said.

"Please."

Everyone turned to the newcomers.

The two had changed. Gone were Tanika's fearsome bracers and dark armour; instead, she donned a more purplish hue, violet top, boots, and skirt in sharp contrast to her metallic silver armbands and neck brace. The armbands themselves covered most of her forearms and held green jewels in the middle, the brace doing the same for her neck. The outfit was accented with lavender, and she had taken off her crown; most surprising of all, though, no metal covered her skin; for lack of a better term, she was bare, orange skin quite noticeable among the outfit- even that of her midriff. Robin reddened a bit.

Lewa had, shockingly enough, worn a uniform too- his was similar to Tanika's, although he had traded the skirt for spandex shorts, ditched the bracers, and dyed everything in a dark blue tone. Cerulean gloves, starting at his elbow and ending at the beginning of his fingers, took the place of the armbands. He had slung his sword on his back behind a large blue cape and wore tight black goggles on his head. Cyborg had to wonder why someone would do that, but since they were both new, he grudgingly accepted it.

"We look… nice?"

The others looked at Tanika funnily. Robin stepped up to her. "I still don't know your name."

Lewa frowned. "Tanika?"

"That seemed more like a nickname, if you ask me," Robin replied. "A pet name someone would use for a loved one."

"_HEY!_" Lewa yelled, crossing his arms and pouting. "You insulting my mother tongue?"

Robin put up his hands defensively. Cyborg snickered at this. "No… not at all. Just saying what I thought."

"Oh."

"In your language," Tanika helpfully added, "it would be 'Star Fire.'"

Lewa's eyes widened. "Starfire? Really? So you _were_ right!"

She laughed. "Yes. I suppose so. You do not the despair?"

"Maybe a bit," Lewa replied, looking at Cyborg angrily. "But I'll live."

The Boy Wonder smiled and put out a hand. "Welcome to Earth, Starfire." Starfire squealed and picked him up eagerly. He gasped. "That's… nice! Could you maybe…"

"Ah, put you down? Very well then."

Robin was set down, exhaling in relief. "And welcome to Earth, Lewa-"

"Windflyer," Lewa said curtly.

Robin raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Windflyer!" The Toa beamed. "I took your advice on the whole superhero thing. I figured, if everyone was taking on a persona to fight crime, why shouldn't I? Sounds like fun." He laughed, covering his mouth. "This is just like when I first started out as a Toa-hero. Ah, the memories."

"So you'll be using a secret identity?"

"I… guess? It'll only be a concern if my siblings find out."

Beast Boy grinned. "You have brothers, dude?"

"Four and a sister." Lewa sighed. "Quite the handful they were. Shame I won't be able to go back."

Raven froze. "Really? Why?"

"Too far away and not worth the expense. I'd rather just stay here and wait for them to find me… if they can, anyway. This place, Earth… is pretty cool. I think I'll like it here."

"Then welcome to Earth, Windflyer." Robin put out a hand again, only to be surprised when Lewa fisted it in return.

"I should've mentioned you have to shake it," he said.

The two put out their hands again. Robin waved his threateningly. "Then again, though…" he said hastily, "it's fine! It's fine. You can just do what you always do."

Starfire smiled sweetly. "I thank you all for your bravery and help, and I wish to ask permission… to remain here as well. Where the people are most strange…" here she looked at Robin, "but also most kind." The two stared at each other for a bit before looking away and blushing.

"You don't need our permission," Raven said.

"But if you want our friendship," Robin looked back and added, "you've got it."

"Guess we could all use some new friends," Cyborg mused, fist on his robotic cheek. Everyone nodded.

Beast Boy laughed. "Besides, we kind of made a good team."

"I thought we might want to keep in touch," Robin said while combing through his utility belt, "so Cyborg and I designed these."

He held said objects up; they were small, circular devices, kind of like pancakes, that fit in the palm of his hand. Most of the device was painted yellow, save a part of the top, which was encircled in black. Starfire, Windflyer, Beast Boy, and Raven each took one, looking over the devices impressed.

Windflyer messed with the device, opening the clam top it had and touching the tiny screen, and frowned. "What… are these?" he asked.

"Communicators!" Cyborg responded jovially. "Made 'em out of my own circuits."

"That… quickly?"

Cyborg grinned and squeezed Robin's shoulder. "If you're a gadgeteer genius workin' with another gadgeteer genius, these things go by lickety-split."

Robin looked out over the bay and smiled. "When there's trouble, you'll know who to call."

The group stood on the shore of the island, watching as the sun rose over the city. As waves washed gently over them, taking sand away, they thought over the previous night, each knowing that they had arrived. Lewa knew he wouldn't be able to get back to Spherus Magna, and felt a pang of regret at this, but if the Toa-heroes he had just met were any indication, it wouldn't really matter. He was going to be just fine.

* * *

**END OF PART TWO**

* * *

Yeah. This is kind of sudden. Too tired to make any comments. The rest of the episodes will be adapted in another story (I think.)


	22. Late Morning

"Brother… Turaga… what must we do?"

The Gordanians had ravaged Spherus Magna. They had left nearly nothing in their wake. Gone was the coliseum at New Atero, gone was the giant market that excited the populace every weekend, gone was the Confederation Building… it was all gone. The bombs did their work and did it well.

Nokama sighed. "Nothing."

"_Nothing?_"

"No, Toa Tahu. There is nothing we can do at the moment."

Tahu whimpered. "But… Lewa is gone!"

"Yes, I know. Onua told me." The Turaga went towards the wall and knocked her Kaukau Staff against it, letting some rocks fall.

"I- but we _must_-"

Onua laid a comforting claw on his brother's shoulder. "I think what he means to say, Turaga, is that we cannot leave him hanging. Something must be done, if possible, to get him back. Tahu, please do not worry yourself too much. We are trying."

"_NO!_" Tahu growled. "We _have_ to try harder!"

Nokama smiled knowingly. "I thought you wanted nothing to do with your brother forevermore. Have things suddenly changed for you?"

"Yes, Turaga." The Toa frowned. "I will admit… that my actions were careless. Lewa is just a kid. I should have _tried_ to listen to him a bit more, and did not need to lose my temper with the others. But… surely the Toa of Air should not be allowed to fend for himself? It goes against the virtues, the Matoran, everything we _stand for!_"

"Please try to control your element, Toa Tahu." The Toa exhaled and let himself cool down. "I think _we_ were at fault as well." She banged the wall a bit more. "There was a prophecy that Turaga Nuju intercepted-"

"And you did not _tell_ us?"

"That is why I apologize. I understand the Great Beings do not want any interaction between us, but it would have benefitted everyone to know."

"What is this prophecy, Turaga?" Onua asked.

She coughed, banged the wall, and repeated it.

"_The noble six are at are at an end to their path,_

_Harshness and restraint tear it apart._

_Need not despair, as despite all this_

_An unfound treasure heralds a new start- _

"I've _heard_ that one before!" Onua beamed.

Tahu glared. "You kept this a secret because…"

"Heat of the moment, sorry." The Toa of Earth shrugged. "Turaga Onewa told it to me before the big meeting, since he thought it might benefit us to know- but I… kind of… saved it. The whole 'Turaga have lots of secrets' cliché and all."

"Oh." Tahu growled at both of them. "Won't help us now, now will it?"

"Actually, Toa Tahu, it _will_. That fight you all had was the big event. If Toa Onua had told you all the prophecy, this timeline might have been steered in the wrong direction."

"What wrong direction? The Toa Nuva reunite to fight the fearsome 'Tarakava aliens,' using unity to hone their powers and soon win?"

"You left out the collecting part," Onua joked.

"Yeah, yeah," Tahu said, dismissing his comment flippantly.

"Alas," Nokama sighed, "that would not come to be. You forget that a 'rutan'gah' was the whole reason those creatures landed here in the first place- do you know where your other brothers and sister have gone?"

"No…" the Toa admitted. "I was… too angry to care."

"The others went off somewhere," Onua added. "Pohatu and Gali have probably gone together, and Kopaka has definitely left alone. Lewa stayed… alone… in his hut." He blushed.

"Mmmhmm. What does that have to do with anything?"

"Kapura tells me that it was destroyed by a bomb."

Both Toa froze. "Oh…" Tahu looked sullen. "Is he…"

"Remember, Toa Lewa is resourceful," said Nokama. "I am sure he left. Do you know where to?"

Tahu frowned. "Um… the jungle?"

"Don't be daft, Tahu," Onua spat. "He doesn't usually go there. Not after he met Kiina and that other Glatorian, anyway…"

"Gresh? The guy who always tries to climb Gamarrus Ridge?"

"Precisely!" Onua looked at the Turaga. "Um… what _does_ that mean, Turaga?"

"Kapura also says he saw the… Gordanians, I am not sure, come out of it. They had captured several people, including those two Glatorian. Toa Lewa was not among them."

Onua raised a maskbrow. "So you mean to say he went in, and… did not come out-"

Both Toa whirled to face each other. "_The protodermis!_"

"But-" Tahu could not speak. "Would he not _know_ that it was there?"

"Did… you tell him?"

"No… not of that one. I warned him about a pool, because I tried to go in it, and I would assume he has enough self-control not to try…"

Onua glared. "He seemed pretty depressed. Do you think-"

"He would go in?" The Toa of Fire looked panicked now. "Maybe! Didn't look like he wanted to try it…"

He sobered. "But the Gordanians. Oh, spirits."

"Turaga…"

"There is no use complaining about it," Nokama said.

"Can we not-"

"Try?" The Turaga shook her head. "I am afraid not. The effects of protodermis cannot be reversed."

Onua sighed and clawed at the wall. "Of course, of course… but now we are working with five Toa, Turaga, and they're not even all in one place. How can we go on?"

"The Mahri seem to be getting by pretty well," Tahu mused.

"That is true. However- if you will allow me to finish the prophecy, Toa Onua-

"_The threads remain treacherous, filled with danger and spite_

_Yet also the virtues, with illustrious sheen_

_The hands of fate play a tumultuous game_

_One that is surely beneficial in means._"

Both Toa paused, trying to make sense of the poem. Tahu, surprisingly enough, seemed to get it first. "The virtues?" he asked. "What _of_ the virtues? We're not united, we're not following our duty, and we _certainly_ don't know our destiny."

"Recall that the 'threads remain treacherous,' brother. It may be possible to uphold them yet."

"Well, that's not exactly possible at the moment!" Tahu yelled. "We-"

He frowned.

"Wait. Do you suppose…"

"I _hope_ you're not suggesting going after them."

The Toa of Fire paled. "Gut me out, brother… because I am. We may not know where Lewa is, but we can still go after the Gordanians and get back at them for that."

"And then we might have a clue of what happened to Lewa?" Onua processed this. "That plan's… pretty ever-smart, actually."

"'Ever-smart?'"

Onua laughed sheepishly. "Bad habit."

Nokama smiled. "Ah, now you two get it. The path of your destiny may have ended here- it is not possible to do much else- but there is a very good chance you can ignite it someplace else…"

"Wherever the Gordanians are?" Tahu perked, eyes glowing in excitement. "_Of course!_ Come on, brother, let's go-"

"No."

Tahu glowered. "But we have to-"

_SMACK!_ "_Stay here!_"

The Toa pouted and rubbed the spot where Nokama's staff hit him, muttering obscenities. Onua looked at the Turaga curiously. "Why so, Turaga? The Gordanians may have already left our galaxy. We need to go after them _now_."

"Not _right_ now. We must settle everything here first."

The Toa of Fire scowled. "Can't do much of it without Lewa…"

Nokama laughed mysterious. "And you will not, I agree. The Glatorian, Agori and Matoran will handle it. You five deserve to rest."

"Are you sure, Turaga?"

"Yes. Let us figure out what exactly happened at the ridge first. Then you and the others can set out after the Gordanians."

The Toa seemed uncertain, but finally nodded. Tahu looked sad. "I _hope_ I can trust you again, Turaga Nokama."

Nokama smiled. "You will! The path of the future always runs into a few snags, but one eventually gains the chance to smooth them out."

"Cryptic as always," Tahu deadpanned as he lay down to sleep. "That's_ great._"

* * *

A large drab grey building rose up over the bay by Tanghal Pier, dull exterior littered with many doors and grates- this was the Jurgens Warehouse, previously used by STAR Labs and Wayne Enterprises to store spare cybernetics and now held by LexCorp as a spare lot- although Krul often sent barges into its dock to transport goods. The size of the warehouse and the sheer amount of spare space inside made it a great place to congregate and do activities, preferably illicit ones- and what do you know, it was! Slade and Wintergreen stood inside on a rickety platform, examining a stream of the post-attack celebration on Slade's computer.

Wintergreen slumped over in his chair. "I don't think that counts as a victory, sir…"

Slade frowned. "Are you kidding me? That _was_… even _better_ than was, actually."

"But we didn't win!"

The butler chuckled nervously upon noticing Slade's narrowed eye.

"We didn't… capture Robin!"

The assassin sighed. "I _hope_ you realize that was the point. If we'd tried to take him away in this entire ruckus, somebody would have noticed. The robot, the aliens, the demon girl, and the shapeshifter- they would have attacked. And we would have been sunk."

Wintergreen's eyes widened and he looked at the stream more closely. A reporter was detailing some of the action at the Johns Video. "Could we not take them on, sir?"

"No. They are too powerful."

The butler gaped. Slade saw this and laughed furiously. "I'm _kidding_, you dolt!" He wiped a tear from his eye. "I don't _want_ to fight them- they present no quarrel. Ours is against Robin. If they attack me to prevent… us from going through with the 'contract,' we will. But not otherwise."

"You don't suppose they will be a threat?" Wintergreen asked.

"The shapeshifter, no; the robot, no; the Toa- maybe; the Tamaranean- _definitely_. The demon girl is the biggest- although her powers _are_ tied to Trigon. I don't know."

Wintergreen raised a scraggly eyebrow. "Who?"

Slade froze then frowned. "Forget it. Just something I read in an old book."

"Old books can be dangerous, sir."

"'With all the tiny-winy dust that could choke your throat alive.' I know the song… it's why I have a _radiation vent_, you fool!"

"Ah, right." Wintergreen nodded. "I still don't know why you need the mask. It's not like you're always confronting your targets."

"I need to not be seen. People will know."

"All… right, sir!" The stream suddenly stopped, people leaving in disgrace and posting angry messages on the chat, so Wintergreen closed the computer. "What will we do now?"

Slade held up a phone and smiled. "We move. _Not right now, idiot!_"

Wintergreen sat back down and grimaced. "Sorry, sir."

"No…" Slade gritted his teeth. "No worries. Understand, Wintergreen. It would be foolish to go after Robin right away, even _if_ he's not working with those others at the moment."

"Because he'll call on them to attack you?"

"Yes. And I don't want that. This has to be staggered for m… us to experience the full effect. Here's what I have in mind:

Phase Negative One: we see what Robin does here. It is obvious that he will stay, since he has managed to root himself.

Phase Zero: we make plans to accommodate for this.

Phase One: We send someone in to attack Robin. He notices and puts his guard up, concerned.

Phase Two: We send in another villain, to beat him and his friends down. We should be able to disable them enough so that he'll be left helpless.

Phase Three: We send in one more. If the desperateness of their victory on the ship was any indication, this will defeat them and allow… me to go in and collect Robin.

Phase Four: I take Robin in like a newborn child and teach him my ways.

Phase Five: When he is ready, I will send out Robin to terrorize the city. Then I will strike. And the heroes will bow down to me."

"Oh…" Wintergreen paled. "Oh my. That is _very_ effective planning, sir!"

"Thank you. I spent the entire post-Robin drive thinking about it." Slade smiled triumphantly. "I'm telling you, Wintergreen, this is foolproof. Robin is not unpredictable at _all_, despite having been trained by _Batman_! He came from _the circus_, for crying out loud! It seems way too easy. I'm not expecting this to be a lofty contract in the slightest."

"But it will take time, sir."

"Yes, lots of time. But I am prepared to wait. As should you."

Wintergreen saluted. "Lots of time, sir, lots of time!" Then he smiled. "Quite the reward, eh? How do you think Rosaline will react? Or… Joseph?"

"Rose… will be happy. I hope. If not, I won't hesitate to cut her head off."

The butler winced. "Bit _gruesome_, sir?"

Slade shrugged. "That's life. As for Joey…" He sighed, dialing a number on the phone. Joey was basically the black sheep of the family. "I honestly have no clue. He's just too busy in his own little world. We'll have to see."

"Oh, we will see!"

"Yes, Wintergreen, thank you for repeating that." Slade finished dialing and put the phone to his ear.

Wintergreen gazed at him curiously. "Who are you calling?"

"The county jail. I've got a request to make."

"The jail…" Wintergreen chuckled. "Brilliant, sir, brilliant!" The chuckle soon grew into a laugh, then the laugh into a downright guffaw. Both cackled menacingly, the thought of the Boy Wonder being in their fingertips fueling their happiness-

"Quiet. The warden's on the line."

"Ah… yes, sir."

* * *

The late morning sun blazed high over Jump City, rays greatly warming anything and everything they touched. This included Winick Beach, ironically the beach where Lewa first arrived, upon which him and Starfire were lazily sunbathing. Cars honked in the background. Kids yelled as they played in the grass of a nearby park. The waves of the Pacific rolled onto the beach, falling back in a rhythmic fashion. It was a great day to relax.

Snuggling into her towel, Starfire sighed happily. "Ahh… it is so _nice_ to be able to sit back and enjoy the sunlight for once."

"You're _enjoying _this?" Windflyer looked curious at this. "I don't fault you for it- I mean, I kinda do too- but I would've largely preferred to vine-swing in the jungle. Or wind-fly."

Starfire looked at her friend curiously. "Is that… not the impossible? The vine-swinging, I mean?"

"Has to be _some_ place where you can do that." He sighed too. "Not a problem. I'm too damn _tired_ to wind-fly as is, and this is one of those times when it isn't…" He frowned. "Actually, you know what? Screw it. I can do that later. Feels nice to be here with a heart-friend."

"As do I. The sunlight is also a fuel for my powers, by the way."

"Oh." Windflyer lay down, deep in thought, then froze upon remembering a memory. "Why'd you start sunbathin'… without anything… on?"

Starfire blushed red and covered her face. "Oh, please do not remind me! We do not usually wear the garments on my planet, as they are not explicitly necessary…" She breathed softly. "It would seem the people of Earth do not feel the same way."

"Yeah. Kind of odd."

Starfire wore a swimsuit now, a purple bikini with sun-shaped clips, but when the two had arrived at the beach after a strenuous trip to Wolfman Square (for how horrifyingly _boring_ it was, Windflyer did not care to remember,) she had suddenly stripped off her clothes and ran down stark naked. It had been _extremely_ embarrassing for the both of them later on to apologize to others and buy a swimsuit with Robin's BatCredit Card. At least Starfire had realized she had made a rookie mistake.

She groaned now and turned on her back. "What do you suppose our friends are the doing at this moment?"

Windflyer propped his cheek up with his fist. "Well… Robin's supposed to be figuring out logistics problems at the police department. Raven is meditating by a tree back there (he pointed to it.) I dunno what Beast Boy and Cyborg are off too… if I had to hazard a guess, they'd be-"

"_Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-bee-beeep!_"

He froze. "Hold on a second!" Reaching into the small pack on his shin, the Toa threw out its contents: a heatstone, a lightstone, a compass, a small map of Jump City, his sword, the _Glatorian's Pocket Guide_ (he had no idea why he'd asked Kiina to buy him that,) and finally, his readily vibrating communicator. The device emitted a tone; a "ringtone," Cyborg had explained, to warn a person about an incoming call. This one's was a jovial little tune, which Cyborg said he had gotten out of his favourite "TV show…" _Dragon Cops_. The guy was a mess.

The communicator continued to beep, but it was gratefully shut off when Windflyer flipped open the lid. On the screen was an image of a smiling Beast Boy, standing in what appeared to be the central business district. Beside him, Cyborg hopped around haphazardly.

"Beast… Boy? What the heck are you guys doing?"

Starfire frowned. "Yes, I would like to find out the source of this tomfoolery as well."

He grinned and shoved his nose into the device's camera. "Dudes, you gotta check this out!"

"Check…" Windflyer moaned. "Check _what_ out?"

"Feast your eyes upon _this _bad boy…" He moved away from the screen, revealing a building. "The pizza place Starfire destroyed! It's back open!" He screamed. "_So amazing!_"

The Toa groaned. "_Uugh_. Can't it wait? Starfire and I _just_ got out of a trip to the mall and I'd kind of like to _relax_ with her for a while-"

"_Dude!_"

Windflyer turned to Starfire expectantly. She beamed. "Why not? It will be fun to see what delights come out of this beacon of pizza."

"I… all right. We'll be right over."

He put the communicator back in his pack and sighed. "You _sure_ you're up for this?"

"Oh, I am _always_ up for an excursion with friends!"

"An excursion where your friends are _completely_ insufferable and probably won't stop nagging you about inconsequential things?"

"_Windflyer!_" Starfire glared at him. "This is the new experience for the _both_ of us. It would be a shame if you do not want to try it."

Windflyer put the last of his things into the pack, got up, and shook himself off. (Starfire was surprisingly toned.) "If you say so. I'm… sure you have more social experience than I have."

Starfire beamed again, picked up their towels, and followed him into the skies.

* * *

"I could've taken a tour of the city. Remind me _why_ I'm here again?"

"It's the DiDio Family Pizza Parlour. I've heard _great_ things about this restaurant. They make the _best_ tofu pizza!"

"Tofu?"

Beast Boy grinned. "Yeah! Tofu!"

Cyborg sighed. "Why do you want _tofu_?"

"Because I like it. Why?"

"Anyone with half a brain would have the sense not to eat it," the man muttered.

Beast Boy growled. "_Hey! _You insulting my dietary choices?"

"No! I'm insulting your _social decisions!_"

"Who said anything about this being social!"

Cyborg glared. "That's what everyone's doin'! Abandonin' meat, becomin' vegan because they claim it's a good thing! And all because somebody else's _told_ 'em to!"

"How do you know _I_ did that?" Beast Boy spat.

"Because if your actions last night are anything to go by," Cyborg returned, "you're pretty much in with the crowd!"

"I am _not!_"

"Yeah, yeah," Cyborg dismissed. "You are. No need to deny it."

"Screw you!" Beast Boy yelled. "I am my own. Independent. MAN!"

"In _hell_, maybe!"

"Guys, you're kinda-"

"Steve wouldn't have _ALLOWED _me to go to hell!"

"Yeah, well, too bad for him!"

"WHY ARE YOU _AGREEING_ WITH ME?"

"I'M _NOT!_ Just stating the facts!" Cyborg reddened, now very angry. "I swear, Beast Boy, if you keep goin' on about your precious tofu _ONE MINUTE_ longer, I will _personally _go to this Steve and _tell him to-_"

"**_BOYS!_**"

They stared at Starfire, eyes glowing blindingly bright and expression darkened immensely.

"I do _not_ take the kindly to such _baseless _arguing. If we are not to go to this family of DiDio's parlor, then we shall _not_ go anywhere AT ALL! I will _FEED_ you the meals that I make _myself_!"

The arguers stared at her. "Uh…"

"Yeah," Windflyer added. "We just took out an invading alien force. Better to keep happy-smiling."

Cyborg pouted. "Don't tell me _you two_ have this whole confliction as well?"

"We're _aliens! _We _CAN'T!_"

He froze then laughed sheepishly. "Oh, yeah. Right."

* * *

They sat at a table on the second floor, overlooking the city's downtown core. Below, two major streets intersected, angled crossing hosting many pedestrians; the floor was designed accordingly. The table they sat at was chequered red and white, the floor covered red. Some would say this and the layout of the circular tables made the place look like a slice of pepperoni from overhead- a good design decision? A strange coincidence? The DiDios were notoriously secret, so one would never know. The whole thing made for good business, anyway.

Windflyer had put his head on the table and was restlessly drumming his fingers. Besides him, Starfire crossed her hands and smiled. Beast Boy and Cyborg sat in front of them, each crossing his arms, pouting, and looking away from the other.

"It'd benefit the both of us if you let this thing _go_," Windflyer said tiredly.

Cyborg harrumphed. "What of it? Grass stain over here's not gonna budge, so I don't see why I should either."

"I haven't had any good food for _three days. _I want to _EAT_."

Beast Boy narrowed his eyebrows. "In peace, preferably."

Windflyer groaned at Beast Boy's move. "Come on, just _stop ARGUING already!_"

The two glared at him. Windflyer closed his eyes and moaned.

Starfire looked at him concernedly. "Friends, I must the agree with Windflyer. Nobody is going to gain anything out of this."

"How would _you_ know?" Beast Boy asked. "It's not like you've been pampered all your life, Princess Prissypants."

"The Gordanians starved me. I received nothing for three days either."

The two froze, slowly realizing this. Cyborg looked sullen. "Sorry 'bout that, Star."

"Guess I'm sorry too." Beast Boy's animalistic eyes flashed over to Cyborg's robotic ones. "Still, though- you _sure _I can't have tofu?"

"Drop it, brothers."

Cyborg smiled. "Don't really care. Just so long as you leave me out of it."

Beast Boy grinned and high fived him. "You got it!"

Starfire giggled. "'Star!' That is a new one! Am I meant to be the called that because my full name in your tongue is Starfire-"

Everyone stared at her. She frowned. "Have I… the done something wrong?"

"No, 'Star. You're right," Cyborg said. "Just assumed you knew that already."

"Ah." The girl beamed. "The cultures of this planet are most amusing. _May we please have the order?_" she called out.

The patrons winced and covered their ears. A teenaged waiter in glasses and stubble came over to them, fingers firmly entrenched in his own. He had an irate look on his face, which probably meant they had annoyed him a little bit too much. Windflyer made a note to try not and call him if they ever came back.

The waiter flipped open his pad and opened his mouth to speak, but was quickly shut up by the appearance of some black energy; this faded to reveal Raven. Seconds later, Robin swung in, steel-toed boots making a loud _thump_ on the marble floor. The waiter scowled and went off, obviously expecting the newcomers to make an order too.

"Sorry we're late," Robin said. "I was clearing up legal issues with this city's police head, Chief Wigby, and Commisioner Gordon. Raven was…"

Raven frowned. "Meditating."

"Really? For that long?"

"I get lost in my mind."

"Huh. Well…" Robin smiled. "Nice to have you with us. What _is_ this place, anyway? Some kind of pizza-"

He saw the intersection and floor and gaped. "Oh, _wow!_ DiDio's Pizza! I've heard _loads_ about this place!"

Beast Boy grinned. "I know, right?"

"You _definitely _lucked out finding this place, Beast Boy." Robin pulled out a seat for Raven and took one himself. "So, what're you ordering?"

A large cheese pizza was suddenly placed on the table. The person who put it there, the waiter from earlier, glowered at Cyborg and Beast Boy. "I heard your 'arguing' earlier. Here, I made you this as a compromise. _Take_ _it_." Then he was off.

Cyborg looked saddened. "He didn't even give us any drinks!"

"And we didn't get to pay, either," Raven added.

"Are either much of an issue?"

Everyone looked at Starfire. "Uh, Star?" Robin frowned. "They kind of… are."

"Here on Earth, you mean? That is the peculiar. On my planet, we were forced to get all sustenance ourselves, and all workers were tipped on the Worker's Day. Oh, what a jovial celebration," she said, beaming as she remembered. "Everyone gathered outside the palace balcony, and we came out and threw all of our mint to them- it was so nice watching them all fight!"

The others winced. Starfire stared at them concernedly. "Oh, do not worry, friends. Nobody was the injured. The guards made sure of it."

"Still…" Cyborg raised an eyebrow. "That's pretty uncanny."

"For you, maybe. Friend Windflyer, did you experience the same issue?"

Windflyer gazed at the floor. "We had widgets, and I don't think we needed much of them, so… no. In fact, I'm concerned. Do you use the bartering system here?"

"No, why?"

"Because… that's what the Glatorian used. Was kind of hard to adapt."

Robin smirked. "Well, don't worry. I think we're well set in the money department." He pulled out a 15-dollar bill, which was quickly snatched up by the waiter; in return, he received some change and drinks. "Bon appetit, I guess."

Cyborg, Raven, Beast Boy, and Robin each took a slice; excited, Starfire accidentally took two, and it took Windflyer a while to realize that that wasn't polite. She quickly sobered and gave the Toa her extra one.

As the group ate, everyone related their day. Robin began. "So I was at the Police Department, as I said, working with the Chief to get myself recognized. Apparently the permit Batman and I used in Gotham won't work here."

"You need a _permit_ to be a _Toa-hero?_"

The hero stared blankly. "Well… yeah. Superheroism causes all kinds of destruction. The city needs to know who to blame so that it can get insured."

Windflyer frowned and took another slice. "Huh. Dume was pretty okay with us messing Metru Nui up otherwise."

"Well, that's… wherever you were. This is America."

Cyborg sighed. "Land of the free, home of the brave. Woo-_hoo_.

Well, grass stain dragg… ahem… I mean… he _took_ me to the arcade to see how it worked. Not half bad, I'll say. They had a pretty good _Dance Party Forever_ machine."

"You've gotta take me there sometime."

"Really? You?"

Raven blushed. "Um, I mean… no. Don't."

The robotic man grinned. "Well, at least tell me what _you _did then!"

"Meditated by a tree."

"Really? That's _it?_"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Boo-ring." Cyborg turned to Windflyer. "What about you two?"

Windflyer sighed, becoming increasingly annoyed as he talked. "I was taken hostage in the mall, forced to try on _various_ sets of cutesy garments, gorged on something called '_ice cream_,' wrestled to the beach, made to see someone _unclothed_, and _rudely interrupted_ in my sunbathing by a _spaz!_"

"_Hey!_" Beast Boy shouted. "Wait… you were _wrestled_ to the beach?"

The Toa pouted. "I don't _like_ the water."

"Dude, _seriously?_ It's _awesome! _You should totally-"

"Dude. I'm _not_."

"But-"

"Nope."

"I mean-"

"Nooope. Try all you want, but I'm _not going._" He sighed. "Can we change the subject?"

Starfire sipped her drink and beamed. "Well… _I_ did much of the same things friend Windflyer did…" she reddened, "including the beach thing, but I must say that the ice cream was very, very, good."

"Yeah," Robin said. "Did you not like it, Windflyer?"

"It's not that I didn't like it- it's just that I had to eat _so much_- and I don't think we could buy much else…"

"Oh. I should probably get you more money from my account-"

"_Help!_"

"_Giant robots! Oh man!_"

Everyone looked at each other concernedly. The victory the night before had been huge, with everyone wanting to talk to the heroes and get their autographs- but the fame had thankfully diminished. If they went out and fought again, they would probably get the same treatment-

Oh, to heck with it. They were _heroes_. Windflyer started off to fight them before stopping.

"Um… what's up?"

"Aren't you coming? I can't do this alone."

Raven raised an eyebrow. "You sure?"

"I've _never_ done something on my own before. The villains assisted the whole vigilante thing before. It'll make me feel better if I have support…"

"Not like we weren't coming out before." Robin smiled triumphantly. "Go- uh…"

"What is the matter?"

"You our boss now or something?"

Robin scowled. "_No!_ We're just working together again! I might as well have Windflyer do it, since he was the first one to volunteer-"

"If everyone's okay with it," Windflyer said.

The group thought this over before nodding.

"Then- um. What he said! Go! Outside! To fight!"

The teens jumped out onto the street, leaving their meal and the evacuating patrons behind. The waiter came to their table and puckered his lips. "Aaww man, no tip…"

* * *

The interstitial begins! I hope you enjoy having a little insight into what might have happened between the episodes. Kyubii16, a profilic fanficer, had a very good point.

1. The Toa _aren't_ gonna be happy if they find Lewa again, I can tell you that much.

2. Jeez, Slade is well planned! (What is he calling the _jail_ for, I wonder?)

3. The Titans scenes _should_ flow similar to an actual episode. If they don't I need to do a _lot_ more research. Today I read a Sherlock Holmes/MLP:FIM crossover which was written _exactly_ (or _nearly _exactly) like the ACD novels. What I wouldn't give to do something like that.

4. That waiter _is_ my self-insert, if you are wondering.


	23. Journey Through Mystery

"Where are we?"

Malum scowled.

"Oh, _no_. Don't tell me we're off somewhere mysterious again."

"Eee-_yup!_"

"I hate my life."

They weren't on the road at all- hell… they weren't even on _Earth_. At the moment, they seemed to be in a weird subspace, reality forming and condensing around them. Space seemed to whirl around, changing around and taking on new colours. Sitar music audibly played in the background- strange… since sitar music can't play in space… Oh well. It actually felt kind of like taking-

"Drugs. I know," Lobo said. "That's subspace for ya- weird and mysterious."

"_Why aren't we heading for Jump?_"

"We are. We're just taking our time."

"We don't _HAVE_ the time, you idiot!" Malum growled. "You said Lewa is supposed to die in-" he counted his fingers- "six _days!_"

"Yeah, I know! That's why we're going through subspace!"

"How does it help?"

Lobo pulled out a ridiculously gigantic Swatch and handed it to the Malum. A date setting on the thing ticked as normal, but it was going… _backwards? What?_

"Subspace frags with time, bastich!" Lobo grinned. "Things don't progress linearly here. If I drive in the right direction, I'll frag the timeline up enough to null Lewa's death all together!"

"Are you an _idiot?_"

"Yep, and an _angry_ little one at that! Hey, wake up your little buddy. We're getting to the fun part."

Malum frowned. "He's dead."

"Dead _tired, _you mean."

"No, he's not moving."

Lobo frowned. "Aaw, really? That's a shame. He shouldn't be missing this."

Malum frowned (again?) "Miss what-"


	24. the subspace emissionary

**chapter twenty4 the subspace emissionary**

ewjldjwldiwdjwoeidjwjeoi

what

I don't know ereh no gniog si neve kcuf eht tahw

!1um help me lobo whats going on going on going on on no?

"Lobo grinned. "Subspace, bastiches!"" Things Don't work the way they should!

That's not helpful at all.

"Sorry, Lobo said, I ddn"t hear what you SAID AT ALL!1'"

WOOHOO!

Things got rwal wonky real fast. Time and space ware worping to bwcome ireellevant okay whats up with my psliinng.'

"I have no idea, Malum fronwed."" Wait, how did I do that?

!

I have abdolutely no ida.

didn't you pull this stunt before lobo! when you hikcacked the story and starting typing garbage?

yeah, that happened. "Lobo frowned. [Stop. You keep using that expression and its boirng.]

Thing's don't work the way they should, dude. Tell lobo to get you out. "What? Malum frowned. Frowing? I don't see how thsat s a problem?"

* * *

Dancing in the Void

The Teen Titans did not exist yet, but for some odd reaon they lay dancing in the void. "I don't see how this can happen," the courpse of Akhmou said.

"The great spirits will ip," said Vakama. Realitty is bokrnw as we know it. blade runner 1980.

"What? Akhmou frowned. How was he alive, and how did that make any sense?'

I have no idea, said Makuta. but here we are. in ubpace. weeee.

"No,, my master," akhmou said {emotieon{ and then he died again.

* * *

stop doing that

chapter twentyfive danny phantom meets the teen titans

suddenly danny phantom appeared okh what. he was goin that thing he always does hwere the nasty burger explodes and he spans and goes to jump grows up **and meets the titans. whod ont exist instory but can here? im ean seriously what.**

**"I told you**, said Lobo. REAlity is broken, bastich! I know, the chronicler said. you said that thousands of times. "What's going on, said danny phantom. you tell me, the author said. no. I don't hae a neam.

um no I don't. that's dimn. deal bastiches [get out lobo}

chapter 26 crossover tiem

okay not things were getting really weird as hero factory AND JNINJAGO _EXISTED TOO HELP THIS ISNT MAKING ANY TSNESE THEY SHOULDN'T EVEN BE able to rossover with bionicle seriously lbo stop fish f***ing_ bulls***

nepeta was back. she's a homestuck. troll. doesn't exist as all. ":33 the opurration was a success, she said."

how is nepeta here isn't she dead

anyways here was kimposibe here to f*** s*** up. and also dragons. get out shu dpids ths is 

naruto. naruto no juUTEO stop

NAruto grinned. "Believe it! " I told him to shut p as he wasn' f***ing elping. he said he woulg get artemis, but she's in this univers already? so I turned into a dog. I fron. why am I in this viewpoint.

:33 its business **beeyoth. ok thank you nepeta. why is ben 10 hwew oo seriously at one point** your gonna have to bring in pmy littpe pony nd that's inuniverse too as a tv show right?

Chapter Ten: Spike and the Spiderses

Spike gasped. The spiders were here. Clawing at his stomach. Eating into his very soul.

He apologized to Twilight mentally. Although he hadn't managed to find her after she had disappeard… he really wanted to make things up to her. The fights, the idiocy, the regrets. They shouldn't have happened.

Suddenly, a huge spider shot up out of his back, covering him in blood. He gasped and died. ":33 thats revenge for killing m33 napeta said why was I eritng mlp fanfic just there? loboooooo malum and akhmou help me someow.

AAAAAAAAAtopcat no. AAAAAAAAAAmisogynt what thatsnot even relevant here. neither is topcat. like this is for ffn not tumblr. no bad discussions here. AAA_AAAAA_AAAAAA why am I yelling AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA why am I yelling WAAAAY amI YELLING _WHY AM I WYLLING __**WHY AM I ELING WHEEU AM I EWYLHFIRNG AAIDLADHLDEIDLEDLIAEDHADLI**_

a

a

a

a

Chapter 26: Captain of the Gravy Train/Homestar Saves the Day

"AAAAaaaaaAAAAAAaaaa, I'm the captain of the gravy train!"

Malum glowered. "You've got to be kidding me."

"AAAAaaaaaAAAAAAaaaa, I once cosplayed a Jenga Jam at Kanime Con!"

Lobo grinned. "It is! Welcome to the end of subspace."

"AAAAaaaaaAAAAAAaaaa, Marvels Comics have some geeriously epic status quo receipts!"

"But it can't be!" said Malum- I mean Akhmou, who was _supposed_ to be dead. Come _on_, subspace.

"AAAAaaaaaAAAAAAaaaa, fifty winks says 4chan can't rectify my midnight Danish problem!"

"we just have to walk through him," Lobo advised, "and we'll be home free."

"How easy is it to do _that_ when he keeps spouting useless gibberish-"

AAAAaaaaaAAAAAAaaaa! Hey there, tweeny, I'll have ya learns that I'm actulally pretty transparent!

Get the F*** out!

AAAAaaaaaAAAAAAaaaa! Once I contoured a 53809k wourd fanvideo fictional!

Anyways, Lobo smiled. "Not too hard. We just gotta contain him."

Can't fucking do anything when he's ruining my story!

"What happened to the rules of quotation?" Lobo asked.

_Ugh_… I frown. Subspace, bastiches.

"Hahahaaa! Frag yeah! High five, bastich!" Lobo offered his hand to the author.

Not possibly. I don't exist, I sigh.

"huh?"

I'm corporeal. Talking to you all from another dimension.

"And that is…"

Earth… 311? I say.

"Oh. Okay. How do we get past this chucklehead?"

"AAAAaaaaaAAAAAAaaaa, femaleslash feburary is acatually a gallon of thousand damn sundaes!"

"It's okay!" another voice said. Huh? I ask. Who're you?

"I'm Homestaw Wunnew, hewe to save the day!"

"There's nothing _to_ save," Akhmou_'s corpse_ deadpanned.

"That's alwight in my book. Leave this to me!"

With that, he suddenly turned a hoel in the dimension. And StrongBAd appeared. Seriosuly? is this what we're doing now, adding in hr characters?

"Yeah, guess so," Strongbad sighs. "It was gonna be our time sooner or later."

I frown. "Why _now_?"

"God only knows, kid. Just pray you haven't been desecrated by Homsar over here."

AAAAaaaaaAAAAAAaaaa, the Black Pope's gonna bring tonally rad relevance to the USSOreoes!

"Aww, Stwong Bad." Homestar beams. "You can't escape from his cuteness. It just is a thing that happens.

we're on page 98, you dolts. get the f*** crap out of my book.

"I'm wih you on that one," Strong Bad says, moving back to his laptop. Homestar follows him. Homsar doesn't seem to leave at all. weird.

Furno frowned at his irrelevance. STOP FROWNNG

"I'm William Furno, and I _command_ you give me something to do."

I just did. Stop frowning and get back to your dimension.

"Can't," Furno sighs. "Black Phantom's taken it over."

Oookay, then. What about you, Kim.

"Drakken.

I don't know. Okay. Ben?

"eh. Probably got sent here through the negative zone, anyway." Which version are you? "All of them." Okay wow.

Naruto? "Believe it!" F*** you.

Dragons? Which dragons? I'm gonna assume the riders of berk, whci makes zero sense too. "The white blaze horntail sent me here," hiccup says. get out.

Spike, who is here because I started writing MLP fanfiction based on the Spiderses for reasons probably relating to my insanity, suddenly asks for my opinion. "I don't know, dude. Is Twilight looking for you?"

"She just got turned into an Alicorn. I'm not going back there!"

And you're certainly not going back with us into the DC… dimension. Go with Hiccup. Spike salutes me. "Righto, dude!"

what about ninjago, who can work with bionicle but not teen titans? get out too, tou f***ing udbmbshits. leave.

and lastly danny phantom and nepeta. okay nepeta is fine. shes a total f***ing bro. but I don't know if the story will work with her.

AC: :33 no i dont think itll work

okay. thanks for using pesterchum format. but youll still stay with me right?

:33 okay why not. that sounds purrfect

yay thanks. as for danny phantom…

"Nasty Burger exploded. Parents and friends died." WE KNOW.

"Nowhere to go. Just escaped Vlad. Jump is the closest city I know of."

Okay, but the story's already started. Go somewhere else.

"Where?" Danny asks, frowning. "_It's a Small World?_"

No. There's a parallel earhth having these stories without Lewa. It's called Earth-731, I think. Ours is Earth-732. Go to the first one.

"Wouldn't I mess that one up too?" Danny scowls.

Hmm. Well… There _is_ Earth-616. Which is Marvel, but apparently Young Justice uses it. I think you'll fit in just fine.

But I have to go to Jump!

Okay. fine.. I donno why there is't a Earth-"NBEEDPECVPAG2G", but go to… shit… Earth-731.5?

Danny smiles. "I ccan stille _leave_ it, right?"

"Yeah, I would think so.

He waves ,creates a whole, and leaves. Bye!

Lobo grinned. "There's our hole right in front."

Indeed, it was, glowing blue and staring at them menacingly.

"Is that…" Akhmou_'s corpse_gasped. "Do we go through that?"

"Yep!" The Czarnian motored towards it. "It'll take us to Jump a week in the future. You can start your search from there.

"Without you?"

"Naah, I'll still be alongside ya. We're just checkin."

"okay, then."

AAAAaaaaaAAAAAAaaaa

**100****th**** PAGE CELEBRATION SPECTACULAR. WOOOOHOOOO! /c**

* * *

I'm sorry about this chapter. I don't know what came over me.


	25. The Rollicking Robots

"_We're all gonna die!_"

**_CLANG. CLANG. CLANG._**

The "giant robots" terrorizing citizens were not actually giant, more so larger than life, but they still looked menacing enough to pack a serious punch. One was stomping its stocky feet around trying to crush people, albeit only getting asphalt in the process. The second was punching into the glass of buildings, reaching inside, and pulling stuff out (it was probably money. Always was in stories.)

Windflyer was first to the scene, lowering himself gently to the uneven surface and looking at the robots incredulously. Raven followed him next, appearing in a dark aura. Beast Boy, carrying Cyborg in the form of an eagle, dropped his cargo then switched to a human and went down himself. Finally, a blushing Starfire came down with a dramatically unemotional Robin.

"_Vahki?_"

Robin frowned. "What?"

"Law robots. They used to watch over Metru Nui before Teridax snapped… I can't help but be reminded of them."

"Whoever's controlling these probably has the same intentions," Cyborg remarked.

"To cause chaos?" Windflyer smiled grimly. "Yeah. Um… I'll take on… _that_ one," he said, pointing to the stomper, "and you guys can take on… whichever one you'd like to… eh…"

"You've never led before, have you?"

"No… Uh. Go!"

Then they were off, trying to topple the robots before they caused anymore damage. Windflyer rose up to the stomper and slashed at it, metal clanging each time it reacted. The robot was forced back on every hit, but it did not seem to be falling. Starfire took over for him and used her starbolts to weaken him; eventually, the metal outer plating was soft enough to be punched through. She stood on the robot's body and pulled out its circuits with a yell, sparking as she did so.

"Um- is that not a _tiiny _bit dangerous?"

"No worries. I will destroy them before they do any more damage." Starfire began to burn the robot's processor, allowing Cyborg to take a shot with his blaster and disable the thing. It began to fall to the ground, but the robotic man had no trouble holding it up, letting the metal corpse stay for a moment before dropping it with a _thud_.

Robin and Beast Boy took on the second robot, the Boy Wonder jumping up and banging on its plating with his bo staff. When this did not impair him, he pulled out a birdarang (a type of batarang he had once begged Batman to make,) swung hard, and _threw_ it into the monstrosity's head. It made its mark, surprisingly enough, but it would not fall. Robin deftly climbed onto the robot to get to the birdarang, but the metal was too slippery and he kept falling; thankfully, Beast Boy picked up the slack by turning into a _T-rex_, picking Robin up, and crushing the thing himself. As the sparking remains crumbled to the ground, he demorphed, still carrying Robin, and smiled.

The Boy Wonder was not too thrilled, however. "Jeez, talk about bringing a mountain to a molehill!"

"Dude! I took it out!"

"More like _annihilated_ it, if you ask me," Robin grumbled. "Listen, Beast Boy, you've _got_ to keep from using such overpowered animals. If you're not careful and don't think things through we might get-"

_SPARK._

"That."

Starfire gasped. "Friends? Did we not defeat the robots?"

"No." Windflyer sighed. "I think… they're still on, so we _might_ need to disable them first-"

"Man," Cyborg shouted, "we need to disable them _now!_"

"It's too dangerous," Robin said. "The whole thing could explode. Windflyer is right. Best to call on someone more capable to help."

"But I wasn't-"

_Shoop!_

A small note had flown into his mask, rendering him unable to see. Windflyer groaned and pulled it away from him, eyes widening at its contents.

"Uh… brothers and sisters?" he asked. "Anyone know a guy who uses an orange and black emblem? 'Cause I'm pretty much sunk."

Robin frowned, taking the note. "Let me see." He sighed. "I don't know anyone with that symbol either. And telling us 'hello' doesn't seem helpful at all."

"Surely that is not a… nice gesture?" Starfire asked.

"It's not helpful at all, dude," Beast Boy said.

"If it's implying that he made the robots," Cyborg mused, "then why would he set them off on us just to say hello-"

_Fzzzzzzzz_.

Windflyer panicked. "Oh, Karz. What do we do?"

"I don't think we'll have any time to get all this debris away," Robin said. "Are- the Justice League back, Beast Boy?"

_Fzzzzzzzz_.

"No, dude! They were just on TV this morning!"

Robin scowled. "_Great_. I'm just going to call them…"

_Shoop_.

Another note, this time in in _his _face. He took it off and scowled harder. "'Don't. This is your destiny, Robin.' What's _that _supposed to mean?"

_Ssssssssssss._

"Uh, friends? Might we want to the... get out of here first?"

"We have to keep the city alive! It'd be humiliating for it to just be destroyed!"

"But there is nothing we can do-"

**_BOOOOM!_**

The robots exploded. The chasses went up in flames, dousing everything in their path. The shockwave was immense, and rippled outwards immediately, threatening to knock the team down. A shard of metal went straight for the team's face-

"Azarath metrion _ZINTHOS!_"

_Blip_. Raven had put up a shield for them. _Phew_.

Windflyer sighed in relief. "Thank you, magic-sister, but don't you think that was a bit… late-game?"

"No. I just waited for my turn."

"But you weren't even there-"

"It was useless to fight," Raven intoned. "The robots were going to explode either way."

"How would _you _know?" Cyborg asked. "Don't tell me you've got-"

He froze. "Magical precognition powers. _Oh_."

"That doesn't explain the note," Robin said.

Windflyer thought this over. "Probably somebody wanting to play a trick on you…"

"Like the Joker? He wouldn't do _that_. My rogues gallery has always been more upfront."

"Rogues… gallery?"

"The villains I fight."

"Perhaps somebody knew of your arrival and wanted to greet you?"

"Perhaps," Robin mused. "But I don't see _why_."

"Maybe he wanted to-" Beast Boy's eyes widened. "_Dudes!_ TV crew!"

It was true- a crew from KJMP-TV had arrived in the area, excitedly carrying microphones and camera. Everyone groaned. They'd been deluged with a _lot_ of interviews last night, and this was only going to make things worse…

"Wait," the female reporter panted, "don't go! I'm Sasha Tomlinson for Jump City at 1 and I'd like to get a few words with you lot!"

"A few words?" Cyborg muttered. "Make that a thousand."

Robin smiled sadly. "Sorry, ma'am, but we've just had lunch and we'd _really_ like to do our own thing…"

"But your fangirls!"

Oh, god. There weren't as many as there had been previously, given the uneven terrain and the robots scaring everyone off, but lo and behold, legions of them had arrived behind the news team and were clamouring to meet the group.

"Oh."

"Does this sort of idolization occur often, friend Robin?" Starfire asked.

"No, Star," he answered. "Only happens with me because people think I'm a hunk."

"And you _are!_" Sasha beamed. "All right, fans. We're here _live_ with the superheroic teens that stopped the Gordanian invasion last night… and has just shocked the populace by doing it _again!_" She calmed herself down, breathing rapidly. "Well, not on the same scale. They just went off and defeated some rampaging robots, really. Still, though… quite the accomplishment for a group that hasn't really asserted themselves yet! What do you say to this, Robin?"

"Um… thanks? I really don't have anything to say about this."

"What about your teammates? Changeling?"

"Beast Boy. And I gotta say, dudes," he said, shoving his face into the camera, "it was my prowess that helped us smash open those robots. They didn't stand a chance-"

"Okay, that's _enough_. Mister…"

"Cyborg. I think we did pretty dang good!"

"Er… miss-"

"Raven."

Sasha frowned. "Yes. Do you have any comments?"

"No."

"None?"

"No."

"Seriously, none at all?"

"Quit it, I don't."

"Come _on,_ don't you guys have _SOMETHING_ interesting? Those robots were _titanic!_ Surely they took _some_ effort to beat."

Windflyer glared, looking at the fangirls. "If we had anything to say, chronicler-sister, we would've called you."

"But you're an alien, right? You're new to Earth!" She forced the microphone into his face, the Toa flinching. "How does it feel?"

"Not… too different, actually. A bit like Metru Nui and New Atero being shoved into a blender and metallicized."

"No culture shock? No quirky events? _Nothing?_"

"That's all Starfire's problem."

The Tamaranean blushed. "Ehehe… greetings."

Sasha waltzed over to here. "You find anything cool here? Like the sights? Have your eyes set on…" here she smiled evilly… "_Robin?_"

"Oh please, do _not_ infer that! I have no desire to do the wooing at the moment."

"But I saw you… I mean…" She moaned, pulling at her curly red hair. "_Uuugh!_ You guys don't have anything interesting _at ALL!_ Can you at LEAST tell me if you plan to stay here?"

The team looked at each other. Originally they'd been unsure on what to do, Robin intending to strike out in Jump and let the others decide on a place to stay, but now that she'd brought it up…

Cyborg smiled. "We _did_ kind of work well together."

"And this city seems to need a protector," Windflyer said.

"I would be happy to stay," Starfire said, beaming. "But I do not know if it would benefit us to the labour together."

Beast Boy grinned. "Strength in numbers, dude."

"I'm okay with it," Robin said. "Seems… I still need the help." Everyone turned to Raven.

"What." she spat.

"Do you wanna live in Jump? With… us?"

"I have no opinion on the matter."

"Don't you have some idea?"

"No. Not in the slightest."

Windflyer frowned. "She's right, Robin-brother. I have no idea where we'd live, who we'd fight… what we'd _do_."

"Well… living arrangements could be done up pretty quickly. We'd probably be fighting criminals and supervillains and the like. As for what we'd do…"

Robin pointed to the screaming fangirls, all proclaiming their gratefulness.

"You can expect _that_ to happen a lot more."

"So we'd be stars again?" That seemed great- the Toa had always enjoyed saving and receiving affection from the Matoran, and if last night were any indication, it would occur to a larger degree. So… this was pretty much his dream job. Onua was right. He smiled. "Cool."

Raven scowled. "I… don't know. What if- I'm too dangerous?"

"We'd work things out," Robin said. "Together."

She stayed hard for a moment; then, as the others slowly nodded, she slightly smiled. "Sure."

Beast Boy whooped and put up a fist, which everyone gladly returned.

"So we're decided?"

"_Right_," everyone said.

Robin nodded and turned to Sasha. "We will. The city's in good hands now."

The reporter squealed and moved to hug him, being stopped by Raven. "Wow…" she panted, "that's _great!_ You guys have a name?"

Cyborg raised an eyebrow. "A _name?_"

"Yeah! You know… the Legion of Superheroes, the Justice League, Young Justice, the Suicide Squad… can't go around without one. People'll have to call you by something."

Nobody seemed to know. Finally, Windflyer said, "The Toa Ha… oh, wait, that's taken. How about the Toa Mangai… karz, that one is too." He raised a hand. "_Oh!_ The Toa Rua sounds good! Or Faxon! Or Hau-"

Everyone looked at the Toa funnily. "What? A Toa team needs a good name."

"Preferably something that _doesn't_ confuse the heck out of casuals," Raven deadpanned.

"_Fine. _What about…" His eyes lit up. "The Toa Titans? You know, since chronicler-sister mentioned those robots were titanic!"

Robin smiled. "That's a good one, but I don't think people will know about that either… Young Titans? Young Justice just with Titans. Kid Titans?"

"Hero Titans?" Cyborg added.

"I'm gonna go with the Best Titans," Beast Boy said. "Since we're the best and all-"

"Oh! _Friends!_"

All eyes were on Starfire now.

"It took me the while to figure out, but since we are all merely teenagers, doing titanic things, might we not call ourselves… the Teen Titans?"

"That's actually…" Robin grinned. "I _like _it!"

"Sounds pretty good," Cyborg said while smirking.

Beast Boy hopped around, changing into a frog. "Works for me!"

"Cool, why not."

Windflyer was the last one, and he hung on the thought before nodding. "It's a bit weird… but I'll live. Teen Titans it is then."

Sasha radiated with pride, basking in the screams of fangirls. "_All right!_ So this it it! The Teen Titans have just decided to form, becoming the new heroes of Jump! I'm so excited I could punch a baby!"

"_Waaah!_" "See? I just did!"

The newly formed Titans looked upon their supporters and smiled. Each was not entirely happy, battling with strife, but they all knew, clear as daylight, that they had arrived.

"_T-E-E-N! T-I-T-A-N-S! __T-E-E-N! T-I-T-A-N-S!_"

Cyborg elbowed Raven. "Had any thoughts of leaving?"

She smiled. "No. I guess… I didn't."

"Well," he said, "I'm pretty happy about that. Nice to meet you, guys."

"I'm Sasha Tomlinson from Jump City at 1, here with the NEW Teen Titans, signing out! Adios, fans, and hope you can see these guys in action later on."

* * *

Water.

_Water!_

There was water all around them! Where _were_ they?

She coughed, gagging at the salty taste in her mouth. Oh. The ocean. Right.

And that meant they had to get out.

"Gresh," she said, under her breath, "we have to get to the surface!"

"Eh? We can't. We're trapped under rubble."

The Glatorian tried to move, but he was right. A piece of rock had pinned them down.

"No," she said. "I can't just _die_ down here."

"You did." Gresh frowned. "The explosion, remember?"

No. That couldn't have happened. "I…"

He shrugged. "Sorry, Kiina."

"No."

"Them's the breaks."

"_No._"

"Time to give it up and rest."

"_NOOOOOOOOOO!_"

She woke up, panting. _Now_ where were they?

"Ah, you're awake."

Reaching for her trident, the Tajunan tried to attack only to find that it was gone. Again.

"Gordanians?" She snarled. "Don't try anything suspicious."

"Alas," the voice said, emerging from the shadows. "I only want to talk." He had a red eye, strange hair, and a robe.

She protected herself instinctively. "No. Don't."

"I only want to talk."

"You want to _kill_ me!"

His eyes grew red. Kiina began to feel sleepy- wait, no. She couldn't. She had to stay awake. For Gresh.

"I just want to help."

"No." No… that wasn't going to happen… had to prevent it… wasn't going to…

"I just want to help…"

* * *

The late afternoon sun hung over the city, slowly beginning to drop. As the horns of ships permeated the salty sea air, the Teen Titans stood on Haney Island (now christened Titans Island by Mayor Simone, who had thoroughly enjoyed hearing from them,) where Cyborg had promised them a big surprise.

"So it's official?" Windflyer asked. "We're cool with the Turaga?"

"Mayor," Robin said. "And yep, I think she is. I just got the license an hour ago," he continued, holding the small paper up. After the six heroes had decided to form the Titans, they had gone to the police station to take over Robin's efforts to get a permit (although fan demand had forced them over to the Mayor's Office instead.) Once at the Mayor's Office, Sasha had presented the Titans to the leader, Mayor Simone being thrilled to have a saviour. In the blink of an eye, she had signed a brand new license and handed it to them, promising that her legal department would clear any snags later.

"Cool," Beast Boy said. "What'd you guys _do_ here?"

Cyborg grinned. "You know what happened here this morning, when grass stain and I mentioned building a home here?" He gestured to the giant tarp that towered over the island, casting a shadow on the Titans. "Well…"

Cyborg took hold of a string that he had asked Starfire to carry, slowly pulling it away. As it went, the covering gradually fell off of its target, draping over the ground to reveal…

"_Ta-daah!_"

_WOW._

A brand new tower built in black and silver metal and reinforced with glass panels. It soared over the city skyline, a cruise ship bellowing as it passed. The thing looked positively _beautiful_; what capped it off was that unlike any of the other towers in Jump, it had been shaped like a T, for Teen Titans. Amazing.

The others seemed to echo Windflyer's sentiments. "That's awesome," Beast Boy moaned.

"Absolutely gorgeous," Starfire sighed.

"Whatever," Raven said.

Everyone looked at her. She frowned. "What? It's cool. I just don't care."

Cyborg smiled. "And if you thought _that_ was mind-blowing, wait until you see the inside!"

As the massive sliding doors opened, Windflyer realized he was right. If the outside was an architectural marvel, the interior was a technological one. The walls were dotted with all sorts of panels and lights and lined in a dark grey finish. Many, many rooms filled space, a huge one in the basement. Most significant was a large area near the top of the T, being packed with all sorts of resources such as a kitchen, a massive monitor and a gigantic red semicircular couch.

"Welcome to Titans Tower, home of the Teen Titans," Cyborg said. "Built it myself!"

"That quickly?" Windflyer asked.

"Only took a few hours! The Gordanian craft had a boatload of tech I could use." The man held up a finger as they passed the couch. "Like the TV, for instance! This is the Ops Centre, a place where we'll basically be chillin' out-"

"And detecting calls," Robin added. "Please don't forget that."

"How could I _not?_ _You_ kept taunting me with things the Batcave has that _I_ had to add!" Cyborg shoved himself into the Boy Wonder's face and pouted pleadingly. "Why won't you tell me where it is?"

"The Batcave's location is a secret. This is not."

"Fine."

Beast Boy jumped onto the couch, bouncing up and down. "Dude, how'd you _do _it?"

Cyborg grinned. "You've gotta be a tech prodigy like me. It's how I built the basement, the training room, the roof, your rooms…"

"_Our rooms!_"

"Yeah!" He paled upon noticing everyone running. "Wait- they're not done yet! I've been waiting for you to come in and tell me what to add…"

"_Screw you!_" Lewa yelled from ahead. "I finally have my own _room _again-"

He stopped frowned. His was just as drab and grey as the rest of the tower. "Oh. Right."

"It is still very glorious that you created this all for us, Cyborg," Starfire said. "I offer my highest thanks."

"Don't mention it!" he returned. "Now we can chill and-"

"Um… Robin?"

Robin narrowed his eyes for a few moments before he smiled. "I guess we can lie low for a while."

* * *

Pretty short chapter since not much happens. Next one will be longer again.

1. Once again, I hope that fight scene captured the spirit of the show. (A bit pretentious but surely you get my point.)

2. Kiina is screwed.

3. Hey look, it's Teen Titans: Secret Origins! (I kid, I kid.) That should probably explain what happened in between _Go! _and _Divide and Conquer_/_Final Exam _(and on that note, why do people always start with _Final Exam?_ They usually get the lines and everything down right. Shouldn't they know that it's not supposed to go first?

Also, that is the end of the interstitial. The _real_ episodes start soon... and I guarantee you, they suck...


	26. The Lost Episode (Punk'd)

Night dawned brightly on the Wayne Enterprises Concert Hall, and everyone was _excited _to be there!

The Metropolis Philharmonic Orchestra had come to the hall to play; they had won many awards in shows across the country, and had come to Jump as part of a tour. Their prestigious reputation as a well-to-do band attracted prestigious people, among them Neil Richards, the famous fashion designer; Lillian Fairsworth, headmistress of the HIVE academy; Deborah Tennyson and Christina Hemingway, once top-level tennis players; Rebecca Cunningham, star of the soap opera _Tammy's Trials_; Dr. Victor Payton, a leading researcher at the LexCorp Institute of World Affairs; and Dave Lansing, an intrepid interviewer on the channel SBS.

The orchestra could be seen warming up from the windows, large score on the grey-haired conductor's stand; he tapped it with his baton; smiled, raised it, and the band began to play. Their first piece was the "Spring" movement of _The Four Seasons_, and the nine players did very well with it; each brought out their parts to a balanced degree, the audience listening closely as they did so. All were content, enjoying the piece; except for one, that is.

He stood on a catwalk high above the conductor, bleached blond spiky hair, spiked silver metal wristbands, sleeveless blue leather vest, ripped black T-shirt, repeatedly pierced ears, and electric guitar in stark contrast to the neatly maintained atmosphere of the concert. He was Punk Rocket, and he was going to _do_ something about this.

"Rubbish!" he yelled, sounding quite a bit like Billy Idol. "That music's ruddy _awful! _So _quiet_ and _proper!_"

Punk Rocket grabbed the rope of a curtain, fingerless black gloves protecting him from rope burn, and slid down, the conductor crying out in fright and abandoning his podium. The band and audience gasped loudly as the punk took to the podium, straightened up and glared at them, and brought out his axe-shaped guitar.

"Let's pump up the volume and _blow 'em_ outta their seats!" His fingers hit the strings of the guitar-

**_BWEEEE._**

A jarring chord, along with a massive shock wave, washed over the stage and knocked the players and their instruments back through the curtain. Now fully panicked, the audience moved to leave the hall. Punk Rocket looked over his shoulder to them, hearing their screams, and smiled evilly.

"Now _that's _music to my ears- the sound of _chaos!_"

He laughed intensely and began to strum again, sending out more shockwaves- **_BWEEEEEE! BWEEEEEE! BWEEEEEE! BWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE_**

* * *

The moonlit sky shone over Titans Tower. Inside, the eponymous team had only just finished having a party to celebrate their formation- a half-eaten cake, plates of food, and various cups lay strewn around the ops centre. Now Robin and Cyborg focused intensely on the monitor, partaking in a game of _Speed Racing_, which Cyborg had forced the Boy Wonder to get, while Starfire and Windflyer stood calmly and stirred some pink goop at the kitchen counter. The sounds of roaring engines and screeching tires began to get louder- they must have been close to the end.

Cyborg grinned. "Only two more laps, Robin, and _I'll_ be the new champion!"

Robin pushed the man away. "No way, Cyborg!" he said, frantically pushing buttons. "You're going down!"

Meanwhile, Starfire was stirring her pots at the stove, Lewa reading directions to her from a cookbook.

"Let's see," she said.

Windflyer flipped through the book and began to read. "Um- half a cup of dried… zorka berries," she put them in a pot, "and four tablespoons of melted… sputflinks." These were put in, the pot being stirred again. The Toa frowned. "Uh, sister? Are you _sure_ we're getting this down right?"

Starfire pulled out the mixing spoon to taste it, smiling as the pot boiled over. "Yes. Almost done." She began to stir the other pot. "Soon everyone will be enjoying my favourite Tamaranean dish."

Starfire turned to Raven. "Raven! Would you like to taste my homemade Glorg Supreme?"

Raven, sitting by the counter reading, shook her head. "Not now, Starfire," she intoned. "I'm on the last chapter." A small cloudy shadow came to the counter and took a mouthful anyway, slightly gagging.

Suddenly, the door opened. Beast Boy appeared, boom box balanced on his shoulder, playing thundering rap music, loud enough to shake the entire room-

**_"I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT IT REALLY IS  
I CAN ONLY TELL YOU WHAT IT FEELS LIKE  
AND RIGHT NOW IT'S A STEEL KNIFE IN MY WINDPIPE  
I CAN'T BREATHE BUT I STILL FIGHT WHILE I CAN FIGHT  
AS LONG AS THE WRONG FEELS RIGHT IT'S LIKE I'M IN FLIGHT  
HIGH OFF OF LOVE, DRUNK FROM MY HATE,  
IT'S LIKE I'M HUFFING PAINT AND I LOVE IT THE MORE I SUFFER, I SUFFOCATE  
AND RIGHT BEFORE I'M ABOUT TO DROWN, SHE RESUSCITATES ME-"_**

Cyborg growled. "HEY, BEAST BOY, CAN YOU _TURN THAT DOWN?!_"

Robin was annoyed, too, but he took advantage of Cyborg's distraction, kicking him in the chest to try and throw off his concentration. He was unsuccessful; the two kept playing, but the music did too. Now even more irritated, Cyborg turned to Beast Boy and yelled, "I _SAID,_ **_TURN IT DOWN!_**"

The game's music suddenly changed, sounding more triumphant than dark… Robin had won. "_Yes!_" he laughed. "Eat my dust!"

Cyborg was crestfallen. "Aww, man!"

Beast Boy did not seem to notice; he looked off, noticing a large piece of equipment on the kitchen table with a high-voltage sticker, and moved to look at it. He grinned. "Let's rock the house."

The boy carried his stereo over, setting it down by the equipment and unraveling the cable to plug it in. As he did so, the other Titans kept doing their activities; Robin and Cyborg started a new game of _Speed Racing_, Starfire and Windflyer kept cooking, and Raven continued to read. Sparks crackled from the plug as the two connected. Windflyer heard this, glancing away from his cookbook, and frowned. "Careful, brother… I think that might be a bit too-"

**_"SHE ******** HATES ME AND I LOVE IT.  
WAIT! WHERE YOU GOING?  
"I'M LEAVING YOU"  
NO YOU AIN'T. COME BACK WE'RE RUNNING RIGHT BACK.  
HERE WE GO AGAIN  
IT'S SO INSANE CAUSE WHEN IT'S GOING GOOD, IT'S GOING GREAT  
I'M SUPERMAN WITH THE WIND AT HIS BACK, SHE'S LOIS LANE-"_**

**_BOOOM!_**

The room shook, both stereo and unit exploding dynamically. Out of reflex, Cyborg angrily threw his controller into Starfire's pot, the goop splashing over Raven and the books. Suddenly, the lights went out, darkening the Tower bit by bit. Beast Boy's stereo, which had been been playing at ear-scraping levels before, cut off.

"Did _I_ do that?" he asked.

The ops centre was now pitch black. Five pairs of angry eyes loomed over a scared sixth one.

"_BEAST BOY!_" they yelled, now very annoyed.

"How could you mess with the _main power source?_" Robin asked.

"You made me _lose the game!_"

"That was a _perfectly good_ cookbook you just destroyed," Windflyer growled.

"Now there will be no glorg for _anyone!_" Starfire raised her hand and shot a beam at Beast Boy's face, hurting one of his.

"I'll _never _know how it ends!"

_BEEP._ The lights flashed back on again.

Beast Boy sighed, relieved. "Ah, no worries," he said. "Generator's kicked in."

The stereo was back on his shoulder, his eye healed. The other Titans looked at him, so outraged they could not speak, and he retreated nervously. He did not want to be reprimanded-

Suddenly; they were speaking again, although for some reason he could not hear them clearly. Robin was mad, but he wasn't nearly the loudest. Cyborg didn't seem to be packing on the decibels either. Starfire and Windflyer were screeching like angry howler monkeys, and worst of all, Raven was _screaming_. He wanted to hear what she was saying. "_WHAT?_"

Oh. The wax. Right.

He thumped the ear that had not been next to the boom box and pulled out a large yellow chunk of earwax. "There, that's better. What were you guys saying?"

Windflyer recoiled, gagging before all five of them were on him and yelling again.

This time, they were so _loud_, voices melding into a cacophony, that he could not make out who was was _so_ incensed that a stream of black energy shot out of her jewel and impacted him, causing a small explosion. The yelling died down after this, each Titan satisfied, and Beast Boy shoved them away, putting the wax back into his ears. "I don't want to hear this."

He picked up the boom box, moving to leave, and-

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! _

The room began to flash red, light bathing over everyone as it had on the _Stormfront_. This was the Titans Alarm System, a nifty little contraption that Cyborg had created to warn the Titans of any danger. It was connected through wires to the massive computer network, which tracked police systems, cameras, and any other methods of tracking- if anything was picked up, like what seemed to be happening at the Concert Hall, it would react and alert everyone. This was the first time it was being used, so nobody was really sure how to respond-

"Titans! Trouble!"

Oh. Okay.

Everyone save Beast Boy nodded and raced out the door; unable to hear, he frowned and raised an eyebrow. "Hey, where's everybody going?"

His question was quickly answered, as Cyborg yanked him out.

* * *

Inside the concert hall, the sweet sounds of Vivaldi had been discordantly replaced with that of panic and screaming. On the stage, Punk Rocket continued to play, slightly disappointed at the audience turnout. "What's your hurry, blokes?" he said while strumming. "This is _much_ better than what _you_ paid to hear."

**_BWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!_** A new chord was powerful enough to reach the patrons, sending them fleeing in all directions. Hemingway managed to slow her fall, using an umbrella to float to the floor then leaving with everyone else. All that remained was a scrap of paper, blowing around in the scant breeze.

Punk Rocket pouted. "No one's staying for my encore? _That's_ a bloody shame. Might as well bring the whole _house_ down-"

"_Hey!_"

In the wings, a group of teenagers had appeared- the Teen Titans, he realized! _That_ was interesting! Maybe they would like his sound more than all those crummy old _white_ people-

"Concert's over, piraka!_"_

Damn it.

"That's _Punk Rocket_ to you, mate!" he yelled, bringing up his guitar. "Now let's kick it out!"

**_BWEEEEEEEEEEEEE!_**

The Titans were driven into a column, crumpling down to the stage. Punk Rocket smiled. "How's _that_ for a number-one hit?"

They had landed in a heap. Cyborg groaned. "I don't think I could _take_ another hit."

"Maybe it'd be better if _I_ led," Robin said.

"Yeah," Windflyer rasped. "You've got the experience."

The Boy Wonder pulled himself out. "I've heard enough." He slid out a birdarang while the others got up. "Teen Titans! Go to victory!"

"That's a bit too long."

"Okay, what about Titans Together?"

"Not good enough."

"All right then…" He turned to Punk Rocket. "Titans! _Go!_"

The Titans charged. Robin attacked first, hurling his bo staff towards the musician, but Punk Rocket held up his guitar like a cricket bat and cover drove it back to him- it took a quickfire dive to save his hair/head. Robin watched as Windflyer flew towards Punk Rocket, weapon up, and slashed; the two fought, sword to katana, for a while, before the punk carelessly strummed on his guitar and sent the Toa flying into some speakers. Cyborg and Beast Boy rushed ahead, but Punk Rocket was prepared; he stood his ground, plucked a string, and sent a beam flying towards their faces.

At the last moment, Windflyer levitated the beam, Beast Boy becoming a pterodactyl and lifting Cyborg away, and the robotic man countered with a blast from his sonic cannon. Despite this, Punk Rocket still played, stopping the beam before it hit him and managed to deflect it up towards them; the impact sent Cyborg and a human Beast Boy straight into Starfire and Raven, respectively. They all plummeted towards the stage, Starfire straining to haul Cyborg up, Beast Boy morphing a hawk and flying away, and Raven righting herself with her magic.

Soon Robin was back in the show; he dashed towards Punk Rocket for a little hand-to hand combat, the Brit dodging a few strikes and a stomp. The two faced off on the stage, Robin coming in for a few high kicks before Punk Rocket ducked, caught him with the bridge of his guitar, and knocked him back into the audience with a chord. The Boy Wonder's cape fluttered down over his face, him quickly peeling it away.

Punk Rocket stood, hands on his hips, and smiled. "What next, mates? You up for some soft grunge?"

Windflyer got up, rubbed his head, turned invisible with the Huna, and snuck up behind him.

"Nothing? No preferences in particular? I myself _quite_ liked Queen, but everyone else seems to think they're-"

_WHUMP!_

Punk Rocket sneered. Windflyer had jumped up and smacked him with the blunt end of his sword. It had hurt, but he decided not to show it; instead, he grabbed the sword, which the Toa was still holding tightly, and flung it towards Robin, hero landing with a _CRASH_. As the other four Titans (Beast Boy human again) gathered in the aisle, the punk laughed. "_Hah!_ Ruddy fools! _No one _can stop the sound of chaos!"

Windflyer groaned. "I've heard some real bad-bands before, but this is just getting _ridiculous_."

Robin threw the Toa off of him, turning to Beast Boy and Cyborg. "Likewise. Listen up!" he yelled. "Those sonic waves are coming from his guitar!"

"We gotta shut him down!" Cyborg returned.

"_WHAT?_"

Beast Boy pulled a little wax from his ear. Cyborg scowled, ears sparking. "_I SAID, __**SHUT HIM DOWN!**_"

Beast Boy grinned crazily. "OH! Okay!"

Turning into an elephant, he stampeded past the others and stomped up the stage. Trumpeting deafeningly, he tried to knock Punk Rocket down; he was met with a shockwave, though, and could not move. Although he tried to hold his ground, they eventually proved too powerful and Beast Boy soon flew off the stage, arcing past a quick-thinking Robin and Cyborg, smashing into Windflyer, and rolling with him to the exit. He and Beast Boy stood up and groaned.

"Never. Do that. _Again,_" Windflyer spat.

"I don't intend to," Beast Boy gasped. "Think we need another plan."

"Leave that to us," Raven said, floating up with Starfire.

They flew towards the stage, Starfire screaming like a warrior and throwing a few starbolts Punk Rocket's way. They exploded around him, but he was deft enough to dive away. Before he could escape, Raven used her powers to summon a large black hand that emerged from the smoke behind the rock-and-roller and moved to grab him. Too late- Rocket had flown away, setting down his guitar and moving through the smoke and the girls. "_Long live_ the Punk Rocket sound!" he yelled.

Flying through the auditorium, all those who were capable tried to catch him. Starfire shot more starbolts in his direction, only to find he dodged every shot. Raven's hand reached after him, stretching out on an arm and trying to snatch him away. Windflyer messed with the air currents, attempting to get him to stop and fall; this seemed to work for a bit, the guitar briefly slowing, but Punk Rocket let out another chord and was on his way. He did a barrel roll, whooped, and laughed.

"Azarath metrion _ZINTHOS!_"

A second hand was after him, but he athletically leaped off of the guitar and landed back on them. He grinned. "I'd like to dedicate this next song to all my female fans."

The hands came for him, only to catch air- he had dodged them and leaped for the balcony railing.

"This one's for _you_."

Raven added a _third_ hand to the mix, fifteen fingers moving to pull him off, but he strummed on his guitar-

**_BWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!_**

And they all instantly dissipated. Raven and Starfire fell, crashing back onto the stage. Starfire was back on her feet, Raven taking a while to smooth out her cloak.

"Why does the Punk Rocket wish to hurt people with his music?" Starfire asked. "Music is a glorious expression that is supposed to make one feel _happy_."

"And it's _definitely_ supposed to not be so _prudish_," Windflyer added, climbing onto the stage.

Raven sighed. "You obviously haven't heard any of _my_ music."

He raised an eyebrow. "I didn't think you'd listen to _this_ kind of stuff-"

The trio's eyes widened- Punk Rocket was down on them again, head of his guitar aimed right for them. He soared past them, climbed up to the spotlights, dropped off the fingerboard, and drove his boots on the stage, guitar in place for him to reach the strings.

Robin dashed into the aisle, the others clearing off, and scowled. "All right, Punk Rocket," he growled. "What do you want?"

The punk smiled. "I want to bring the world to its knees with the _sounds of chaos!_"

With this, Raven, Starfire, and Windflyer were back in the aisle. "You are _so_ one-note," Raven deadpanned.

Windflyer glared at him. "Don't even _think_ about disrespecting the artform like that."

Soon Cyborg and Beast Boy had joined them too. "We're never gonna beat him when he's got that guitar," Cyborg said to Robin.

"Yes, we will. As long as we work together as a team."

Windflyer groaned. "Don't tell me _you've _been jacked on this whole 'unity' thing too?"

"What?"

"You know." His voice changed to imitate Gali's. "'Stay together, brothers! What we can do as a team far outweighs that which we can do alone!'"

Robin frowned. "No, I don't think so. It's just common sense."

"Let's go," Raven said.

Punk Rocket saw the Titans coming for him and cackled insanely, taking a curtain cord. "You're _daft_, thinking you can beat me!" Grabbing the cord, he continued, "Now here's something to _really_ bring down the house!"

He yanked the curtain, causing it to open.

To the team's amazement, the action revealed a _wall_ of _speakers_, stretching along the breadth of the concert hall and reaching up to the rafters.

"What _is_ that?" Beast Boy said as they regrouped.

Punk Rocket grinned. "My grand finale." The Brit plugged his guitar into the speaker system, turned the volume to a 3, and backed away.

Robin's eyes widened. "Up to now, his whole act has been…"

"Unplugged," Windflyer finished.

Raven frowned. "Which means-"

Cyborg glowered. "He's just getting started-"

**_BWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEE!_**

He could not finish his sentence, as another, more powerful chord came through and sent him and the other Titans crashing into the walls and balcony. The musician laughed. "_Ouch!_ That looked like it hurt…" he switched the volume to 6, "but not enough!"

The robotic man stood up again, roaring as he rushed onto the stage, and shot at Punk Rocket with his cannon- unfortunately, the punk's chord completely engulfed his and sent him to his knees. As he got up, it appeared the attack had actually _damaged _him- his chest panel popped out, head coming loose and spinning around on the end of his spine. He was able to control this, however.

Punk Rocket gaped and covered his mouth. "Blimey!" He smiled. "That looks a bit… _dodgy_ now, doesn't it?"

Cyborg could not stay up; he fell back down again, sparks flying everywhere and his circuits glowing intensely as they processed this. The Titans ran to him.

"Cyborg!" Starfire gasped.

"Are you okay?" Robin asked.

Windflyer moaned. "Ugh… don't die out on us, brother…"

They turned to the Toa. "Mostly… robotic… doesn't matter! Focus on Cyborg…"

The human was not faring well, either. "Sound… messing up my circuits!" Beast Boy was stunned. "Not sure how much longer… we can keep it… together!"

Hit with a sudden burst of inspiration, Beast Boy perked, smiled, and snuck towards the stage. The others looked at him concernedly, as if the sound had made him go crazy, and Punk Rocket himself continued to rock the casbah, but he ignored this and went for the jerk, straightening his sleeves. The guy had played his last good gig.

"Hey, Punky!" Beast Boy yelled. "You call _that_ the sound of chaos? Sounds more like _elevator music_ to me!"

Punk Rocket stopped playing and scowled. "I can't _HEAR _you!"

He turned the volume to an 8, now savagely clawing at the strings.

**_BWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEE! BWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEE! BWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEE_**

The Titans groaned in agony and collapsed, hands over their ears. Cyborg and Windflyer's systems deteriorated further, moving towards a collapse.

"Beast Boy, stop!" Robin yelled.

"Are you… _cross-wired?_" Windflyer rasped. "It's _too_… _LOUD!_"

"We cannot endure this sound!"

Beast Boy was pushed back a bit by the noise, but he managed to keep his ground. "Dude, give it up! Your sound is old and tired!"

Surprised at this, Punk Rocket growled and reached for the knob, turning it past 8… to 9… to 10… to 11! Then he played his guitar.

**_BWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEE!_**

The chord was _so_ _powerful_ that it caused a small earthquake, decimating the Concert Hall. Police would later recall that it was the perfect way to mark the Titans' debut. "We didn't even believe it was _real_," one seismologist said. "Earthquakes _never_ happen down here."

The speakers were the first things to be affected, shorting out and letting out sparks. Decimated by the noise, the group cowered, Cyborg and Windflyer's bodies completely spazzing out. Beast Boy smirked as his ear quivered.

Punk Rocket tore at his guitar, trying to destroy the rapscallion once and for all, but failed, rubble from the spotlights falling around him and sending him sliding back towards the speaker wall. This sent out one more devastating sound wave, disabling the weakened assembly and making the whole thing explode. The Brit cried out in surprise and dove towards the apron, just missing being crushed by a speaker; as another one crashed, it threw him towards the edge.

He got up and pouted, reaching towards his guitar- or what was _left_ of his guitar, anyway. It had been reduced to a mess of burnt-out circuits and wires. Punk Rocket looked crestfallen at this then played it as hard as he could… nothing but a tinny little squeak. All that amplifying had completely sapped its power.

"NOOOOOOO!" he yelled, collapsing to his knees and sobbing.

The Titans gathered around him and watched as he broke down. Raven sighed, warming up her powers. "You are _so_ not cool."

She mumbled something under her breath and the unplugged guitar cord came for Punk Rocket like an angry tiger. He screamed and went for the exit, but was quickly caught, dropped by it, and dragged away. "What… _Hey!_"

The wire wrapped his body up, twisting him around, lifted him up, and _threw_ him back onto the stage. He groaned as he fell unconscious, Raven stopping the wire. Beast Boy beamed, whacking at his ear, and the blob of earwax soon fell out; with another, he took out a second, and mashed them into a ball. "Waxy buildup saves the day," he noted, tossing it away and walking off.

Windflyer and Cyborg were back up and running, the Toa curiously checking the man's forearm panel. Beast Boy came over and looked down. "You dudes gonna be okay?"

Windflyer smiled. "I… I-I-I-I-I- excuse me- I'll be fi-i-i-i-i-i-fine."

"All thanks to you, little buddy," Cyborg said, ruffling Beast Boy's hair. "Say, how robotic _are_ you, anyway?"

"E-e-e-e-ighty-y-y perce-e-ennnt. Why?"

"You held up a heckuva lot better than I did, and now you're off track."

"Beats me as to-o-o-o whyyyyyy. Guess this te-e-e-ech-h-tech-h is pretty old-old- pretty old."

"Huh." Cyborg frowned. "I'd better check it out later."

Robin joined them, carrying Punk Rocket with the guitar cord. "Looks like Punk Rocket's next tour will be behind bars." Everyone laughed.

* * *

Daytime once again dawned on the Tower, and the Titans had resumed their previous activities; Robin and Cyborg were playing _Speed Racing_, Starfire and Windflyer tried cooking some more Glorg Supreme, Raven sat quietly and read a book, and the power source lay dormant in the corner.

Beast Boy, of course, was listening to music, and he came in jamming to it-

**"BUT WHEN IT'S BAD IT'S AWFUL, I FEEL SO ASHAMED I SNAPPED  
WHO'S THAT DUDE? I DON'T EVEN KNOW HIS NAME-"**

_Jamming_ it-

**"I LAID HANDS ON HER, I'LL NEVER STOOP SO LOW AGAIN-"**

I _said __**JAMMING IT!**_

**"I GUESS I DON'T KNOW MY OWN STRENGTH-"**

"Okay!" Beast Boy yelled, raising his voice. "Before you start yelling at me for playing my music too loud, let me just remind_ everybody that I'm the one who defeated PUNK ROCKET AND SAVED THE DAY__**!**_"

Nobody acknowledged this. Beast Boy smiled. "_SO NEXT TIME, INSTEAD OF GETTING ON MY CASE_ **FOR NOT LISTENING TO YOU GUYS, MAYBE YOU ****SHOULD START LISTENING TO MOI!**"

Still nothing. He glared at everyone, continuing their own actions, then shrugged and swaggered back out, throwing a wink and a gun at them before the door closed. The ops centre was quiet again; the other Titans frowned and pulled out their earplugs.

"**_WHAT?_**" everyone yelled.

Raven, Starfire and Windflyer traded a confused glance, looking towards the couch. Cyborg raised an eyebrow. "Did he say something?"

* * *

Slade smiled. "_That_ is what I meant, Wintergreen."

"Meant by what, sir?"

"You say the Titans defeated Punk Rocket, a lowly goon, but with much stress… am I not wrong?" Wintergreen nodded. "It seems they are not _quite_ as cohesive as I had previously thought. We will have to change our plans accordingly."

The butler frowned. "And what _was _said plan, sir? I was never made aware of it."

"Hrrm? I thought I gave you the files."

"No… and I thought we weren't focusing on the Titans?"

Slade glared. "You attended that recital. You were there. You _saw_ them fight. Do you think we can attempt Phase One without taking them out first?"

"No, sir." Wintergreen moved to inspect a robot that Slade was building from a STAR Labs mould. "It would be mite difficult."

"Correct. That is why we will… shake things _up_, first. Soften the shell, as it were. We know that the Titans have decided to fight together. They will protect Robin." Slade held up a cup of tea, which Wintergreen filled. "Thus we will _prevent_ them from protecting Robin… turn them _away_, even…" The two laughed maniacally at their new direction-

_Brring! Brring!_

"Oh- excuse me. It appears the warden is on the line again." Slade picked up his phone and frowned. "Yes, this is Slade Wilson. _What?_ You have an offer for me? _HIM?_" He sighed. "I would think a less- _immoveable_ villain is a better option, but… all right. I suppose we will go with that. Thank you." He turned to Wintergreen and the robots. "It is time, Wintergreen… time to eliminate the Teen Titans. _Begin Phase One._"

* * *

Yeah, it's _weird. _A fanfic author starting off with _The Lost Episode? Unspeakable blasphemy!_ It was a stylistic choice, really; it doesn't seem to fit in any other season, and the writing and acting suggests it happened early on in the show. Don't worry; I'll be going in the _actual_ episode order now. More or less.

1. I had to change a few things to fit the story (Silkie is the one who tastes the Glorg in the episode, and Starfire uses her eye beams.) They're minor, though, and shouldn't really impact anything.

2. Yes, that _is_ _Love the Way You Lie._ I don't know. It seems to fit Beast Boy. I hope people notice the _other_ musical reference.

3. Is it in character to have Lewa want to lead at first?

4. _Wow _check out that _continuity._

5. I've been feeling _very_ OCD about my writing lately (it all seems to center on how much I describe in the fight scenes and how long my paragraphs are.) Tell me if you want more description or less.

_Divide and Conquer_ buildup next! Read and review!


	27. Begin Phase One

"Are we there yet?"

Lobo looked around, then frowned. "No- too soon- _hey_, did they paint their _communicators_?"

"What?"

"Nothing." He turned to the Titans, lazing around in the ops centre, and sighed as the alarm went off. "We should probably go." The Czarnian opened another hole in subspace and ushered them off, hoping not to alert the team to their existence-

"_Who are you?_"

Lobo flinched, looking back. A robed girl had _spotted_ him! "Um… I'm… Pete! Pete Lorenzo, the electricity… inspector."

She glared. "Who's that beside you?"

"This is my assistant…" she was referring to Malum- "Memora! Say hello, Memora!"

"Memora" scowled. "No way," "she" whispered angrily. "I'm a _Vorox Chief_. I have to have some dignity."

"Do it or she'll be _on_ to us!"

"Ugh. _Fine._ Hello, Raven," "she" waved, speaking in a fabricated cheery voice. "I am Memora."

The girl facepalmed. "Hello, Malum. I am _not_ an idiot."

"What- How did you know?"

She floated over to them. "I sensed your arrival. You _need_ to stop playing with the timestream."

Lobo winced. "But- that's a _good_ thing, right? My client is going to-"

"Who's your client?"

"Um-"

"Lewa. I _thought_ so. He's _fine," _Raven spat. "Go home. We can take care of him."

"But the Gordanians!"

"Gone. I sent them into the water."

The two's eyes widened. "Oh… but did they kill Lewa?"

"Windflyer. And he's okay."

"How far along are we, miss?" Lobo asked.

"Since he arrived? Six… ish days. Yeah."

"But we only have one day left! How is that possible?"

She sighed. "How does he 'die'?"

Lobo thought this over. "Eh- we don't know _how_, but new heroes _always_ crash and burn after the first week-"

"_We_ haven't."

"Oh. Okay." The two moved back into subspace. "Just don't tell him we were here."

"I don't _plan_ to," Raven intoned, voice laced with venom, and then they were off.

She sat down to meditate again and exhaled. Lewa's friends were _weird_.

* * *

"All right… a little to the left… _there!_ That should be good."

Windflyer sulked. Cyborg had been working to fix the rusty circuitry that had been broken against Punk Rocket, but he didn't know if it would-

"Try talkin', man!"

He hesitated, took in a breath; then exhaled and began to speak. "Hello-hi- I am Toa Lewa, Windflyer, Spirit of Air-" He grinned. "Hey! It works!"

Cyborg grinned. "Of _course_ it should! Your technology was alien, yeah, but it was 100,000 years old. I didn't have much of a problem workin' with it. Can you move?"

Windflyer raised an elbow.

"Great, great. Welp," the robotic man moved out of his lab, "I'd best be headin' for some food. Got a hankerin' for some roast beef."

"I thought Beast-brother said you couldn't?"

"We're _not_ going to talk about that," Cyborg grumbled.

Outside in the ops centre, things were quiet. Raven meditated, murmuring incantations by the couch. Starfire had taken Robin out for a stroll. Beast Boy was watching a movie on the monitor. After the hectics two days ago, it was nice to have some _peace_.

Windflyer smiled. "I think I'll take a small snack then be off for a wind-fly. The weather outside is nice."

"You _think_ so? Man, everything's positively _swelterin'_."

"I used to live tree-bright. I should not have a problem."

Cyborg shrugged. "Okay with me, dude. Just-"

Their communicators beeped. Windflyer pulled his out and sighed. "_Why_ did you put the _Dragon_ _Cops_ thing on this, again?"

"Liked the theme."

"I know, but-"

Robin's image appeared. "Titans! Trouble at Skippers County Federal Jail!"

Raven raised an eyebrow. "How would _you_ know?"

"Star and I were walking past the thing on a… ehe… tour, and the whole thing just _exploded-_"

"The criminals contained inside are _escaping!_" Starfire added. "You must come the quick!"

"It's not on the Alarm System," Cyborg said.

"It only _just_ happened. I wouldn't be surprised if the-"

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

The monitor switched on, displaying a news feed of the jail. "_Breaking news!_ I'm Sasha Tomlinson, here for Jump at 9."

"And I'm Kent Brockhoff."

"We've just been informed that only a few minutes ago, the jail up at Skippers County… _exploded!_ Large clouds of smoke have been seen coming from the back wall, a good chunk of it _destroyed_. Eyewitness reports confirm that guards _are_ working to prevent any more damage and contain prisoners. No idea if the Teen Titans will arrive on the scene, but if their defeat of Punk Rocket on Sunday is anything to be believed, they should be here soon! We'll update you with more details as we get them."

Windflyer puffed his cheeks. "Well… that was a thing that just happened," he said while muffled.

"We'd better go after them," Raven said. "Come on, Beast Boy."

"But- my movie!"

"You can watch it _later_."

Beast Boy pouted. "How do you know if this thing has DVR?"

"It _does_, grass stain," Cyborg said. "Now let's _go_."

* * *

They quickly made their way to the jail, Raven transporting herself there using her soul self, Beast Boy taking Cyborg there as a pterodactyl, and Windflyer flying there with an extra sword, which Cyborg had provided him with after he had fixed him up. It wasn't _exactly_ the same as his old katana, but the armour seemed to help balance the power divide just fine. The jets would do their job, anyway.

As they arrived, it was clear things did not look good. Police cars _littered_ the road by the bridge, news crew _frantically_ working to assess the situation. The front entrance had also been destroyed in the interim, and just as Cyborg touched down-

**_BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!_**

"Oh, _wow! _If you're watching this, the bridge leading up to the prison complex has just exploded _as well!_ Much debris was clouded everywhere. I don't know if any of us will be _safe_-"

"Azarath metrion ZINTHOS!"

A dark shield quickly raised itself over the response team. Sasha sighed. "Thank you, Raven," she said sarcastically. The reporter turned back to the camera. "Still no word on which supervillains have been able to escape, but first accounts tell us Madame Rouge, The Amazing Mumbo, and Kardiak _may_ be among them. It is indeed _very_ concerning, and I _think_ it might be better if the Justice League-"

"Ma'am."

She turned to notice a tapping on her shoulder. "Yes?"

"We're here."

"What? Oh, you _are_!" Sasha tapped her watch and laughed. "Right on time, I see."

"Yeah. What's up?"

"Well, if you'd listened to the news report, you might've found-"

"The police have the declined to let us in," Starfire added.

"We wanted to see if we could solve this case ourselves."

"Don't you have a permit?" Sasha asked.

"Yes, but- they do not think we are the able… they say we are 'only teens'…"

She flared, veins bulging. "_Really?_ _Come_ _ON!_" she growled, trudging towards the police. "I'll take care of this!"

For a middle-aged woman, Sasha was _quite_ athletic. She deftly climbed over debris, making her way towards a policeman. He smiled and straightened up. "What seems to be the problem, ma'am?"

"The Teen Titans. Are you letting them go into the jail?"

He frowned. "No. They're teenagers. It wouldn't be safe."

"Don't you remember Young Justice? _They_ seemed to handle things pretty well!"

"They were a covert ops team, right?"

She paused. "Yeah, why?"

"Then that's it. We didn't know." The man sighed. "_Look_, ma'am, I _know_ they're _really_ eager to get into the field, but we _can't_ risk the lives of children to overly powerful supervillains…"

"We're not _children_."

The policeman froze. "_What?_"

Robin glowered at him. "We're a _team_. If we can't do it, we can't _do_ it. And right now, I think we _all_ can."

"_Who_ were you again?" he asked. "The Boy Wonder?"

"I prefer _Teen_ Wonder, actually. And I'm _Robin_-"

"_The Batman's sidekick!_" The policeman's eyes widened and he opened the yellow tape around the jail. "Oh… _my_. I don't want to him to _stab_ me or something. _Go right ahead, kids_."

The Titans moved in and turned to Sasha. "Thanks for your help," Robin said.

Sasha saluted. "Don't mention it, guys! Just put in a good word for me at the Justice League and all."

"I'll… _see_ what I can do."

* * *

With an excited wish of good luck, the Titans were on their way, walking down the bridge.

"Alright, here's my plan," Robin told the others. "We'll-"

_Crumble!_

He looked down. The bridge had become unstable from the explosion, and now it was collapsing. "Oh _snap_-"

The Boy Wonder fell through, plummeting towards the water. The others gasped. In a flash, Starfire was upon him, taking him in her arms and carrying them to safety.

He smiled weakly. "Thanks, Star. Maybe we should fly the rest of the way."

When they reached the end of the bridge, Raven carrying them all over, Robin detailed his plan. "We'll go in and see what prisoners have escaped," he said. "Once we've got a good idea I'll call everyone back and we can make plans on how to capture them. You guys in?"

"_Right!_"

"Right. Titans! _Go!_"

The team split into three groups of two, going through different parts of the jail; Robin and Beast Boy went through the left sector, Cyborg and Starfire took the right, and Raven and Windflyer took the middle.

* * *

"Plenty dark in here," Cyborg muttered.

"Yes." Starfire ignited a starbolt. "Are you able to see now?"

"A bit." He messed with his cybernetic eye, trying to see if he could make things any brighter. Eventually, the man managed to trigger the night vision setting on his optics system; able to see better, he took the lead.

Starfire sighed. "I must ask you, friend Cyborg…"

"Shoot."

The girl took a _deep_ breath, then began. "Why does it get so cold in the night? Why must some people be so _rude_? Why are people kind enough to offer me their protective apparel? Why are some left the homeless and alone? Why does Robin desire to… do the holding of my hand? _Why?_ _Why_ is it like this on Earth?"

Cyborg frowned, processing this information. "Well, first off… _slow down_. It isn't _really_ that scary. Second… It's _summer_. Sun isn't up. People just act like that 'cause they feel angry. Can't really put it into words. That's just being generous. They… aren't as fortunate. He…" The man shrugged. "I dunno. Guess he was just trying to be nice."

"Nice." She smiled sweetly, floating around. "That is _ever_ so kind of him. Do you not find it the strange that the customs are so weird here?"

"_Nope._ Lived here all my life."

"Oh. _Surely_ things have been the better for you?"

He sighed. "Why do you think I _came_ here?"

"For the chance to obtain new knowledge-"

She froze. "Friend Cyborg? Is something the matter?"

"I- _I see something!_"

"Is it a prisoner?"

He tensed for a moment, and then relaxed. "No, Star. It's just a dove."

"Doves should be flying in the sky, and _not_ in the cell, should they not?"

Feathers littered the cell they were in, sticking to the walls and their feet. A small note had been left in the biggest pile. Cyborg picked it up and began to read.

"'Dear Bozos,' he began. 'Left this deadbeat jail since I felt it wasn't doing things for me. If you want to find out where I am, I'll just say that I'm in a new place, practicing for my newest performance. Don't try to look for me yet, I won't be ready. Loves and Kisses, the Amaz…'"

He squinted. "It turns into papyrus near the end. Can't read it."

"_Papyrus?_ Do you joke?" Starfire took the paper.

"No, look! Hieroglyphics and all! This guy's a _hoot!_"

"That is… supposed to be the _funny_, yes?"

"He's a _criminal._ These sorts of things are _never_ funny."

* * *

Windflyer looked at Raven. She hadn't said a _word_ to him since they entered the jail. Was she _mad_ at him? To be fair, it wasn't like she said much at all, but the lack of _any_ intonation at all made the Toa kind of concerned.

He sighed. "_So,_" he said, fiddling with his cape. "Sister."

Raven looked at him. "Hmm?"

"You seem… awfully quiet-talk as of late. Something up?"

"Mmmm…" She shook her head. "Mmmmn."

"Oh, come _on_. Can't you say anything _other_ than that _awful_ humming? It's freakin' me out!"

Raven glared. "No."

Windflyer perked. "Oh, hey! _That's_ a good start! Keep at it and you _might_ progress to a more standard coherency level-"

"Quiet."

He sulked. "Sorry. I mean- It's not that I'm angry-mad, I'm just concerned, but ever since the whole Punk Rocket incident, you've been actin'… kinda dull…"

"I'm _always_ dull," the witch replied.

"More so than usual."

"What can I say? The Titans are boring."

"You mean to say _I'm _boring?"

She grimly nodded. "Eeeyup."

Windflyer sighed again, kicking at the dirt floor. "Fine by me. Thought it unusual, is all." He frowned. "Say, you said you had 'magical precognition powers,' right?"

"Yes."

"Do you know if… um… can you tell me if my heart-friends are still alive?"

"It wouldn't be right to tell you."

"You told me about the dream…"

"That wouldn't have affected anything; this might." Raven sighed. "You can get over them, can't you?"

"I will, in time, but it seems… _so _unfair…"

"Life's not fair. I think everyone in this team can agree to that."

"Yeah." The Toa squinted and turned to his friend. "Hey, Raven-sister, can you _see_ anything?"

"Who's been leading you?"

"Oh... yeah." He switched to his Ruru. "I don't know how you're _always_ one step ahead of me."

Raven glared, then smiled a bit. "I just kind of have that ability," she rasped. Then she stopped. "I see something. Stay back."

"What is it?"

The witch used her powers to see, and gasped. Then she allowed Windflyer to look as well.

"_Woah._ Is that… _warm-blood?_"

Raven nodded vigorously. "Somebody's _been_ here."

"The question is… _who?_" He froze. "Wait… there're _letters_ on the wall…" He squinted again, gasped. "'I WIN. –K.' Is that- who do you think it _is?_"

"Dunno. Just ignore it and move on_._"

* * *

Robin and Beast Boy went through the most damaged sector, so they had to endure the most noise. Klaxons and sirens blared all over the prison, guards running to plug defensive holes. Beast Boy had been pumped up to fight crime before, but seeing the situation and remembering the fiasco at the concert hall he deflated a bit.

Robin noticed and looked at him concernedly. "Um… Beast Boy? Are you alright?"

Beast Boy huffed. "You tell me, dude."

The Boy Wonder frowned. He didn't _seem_ all right. "No… you're not. Anything I should know about?"

A guard shot past them. Beast Boy shook his head.

"I'll understand if it's concerning me. I seem to… _have_ that effect on people."

Beast Boy sighed. "I know, dude, but…"

"This is about the Punk Rocket thing, right? Look… you messed up. We know that. But you also helped us big time (and probably saved Cyborg from being disabled.) There's really no need to stay angry…"

He froze. "Oh. The joke we played later on…"

"That was a _joke?_"

"Yeah. Cyborg figured it was a good way to get back at you."

The boy growled. "Are you _kidding_ me? I _thought_ you guys were just being rude!"

"That and we _really_ didn't want to lose our hearing over the boom box again."

"Oh. Right." Beast Boy narrowed his eyebrows. "That _was _Cyborg who did that, right? I'm gonna have to get _back_ at him."

Robin shrugged, picking up a dirty pen then throwing it away. "Be my guest. _We_ only did it because we thought he deserved the help."

"Is that permission?" Beast Boy grinned. "Dude, all _right!_" He froze, sobering. "Say… you ever done this kind of prison break thing before?"

"Loads. Arkham Asylum doesn't clear out itself."

"You guys went right into _Arkham? _But that's… like… the scariest place in Gotham! How did you _manage?_"

"I trained with Batman. _Nothing_ is scary anymore."

"What about with Young Justice?"

Robin smiled on remembering his former team. "Batman told us where to go. No problems there."

"You're not _with_ Batman anymore…"

"I still remember his tricks. Stay calm, stay alert, and keep an empty mind. Which reminds me," he said, breathing deeply, "we should've found something by now."

"But… everything's _gone!_"

"Yeah… but I can't help shaking the feeling that something is out there in the darkness-"

"_Go, go, go!_"

Klaxons blared, three guards running past them through debris. They wore dark beige uniforms with a small badge on the chest- they must have been looking after the cells. On their right shoulder, each kept a number emblazed in rectangular felt- one was 1, one was 3, and one was 8.

"Code red!" Guard 1 yelled. "Cellblock Nine! _Move out!_"

They moved towards a small opening, the guard bringing up the rear. As the two watched, they ran towards it then began to walk, weapons held high.

"Main yard secure," the guard called.

Suddenly, something very large was thrown in front of them, rolling around and growling. The guard's eyes widened.

"There he is!" Guard 3 shouted. The three advanced.

Guard 8 frowned. "Wait… He'll free the criminals!" They quickly stopped and lowered their weapons.

Guard 1 ignored this. "_Fire!_"

As the being smashed a hole in a nearby wall, he took some debris and threw it at the guards. They put up shields and were thankfully unharmed. Now that he was uncovered, the monster could be seen in greater detail. He was large; at _least_ ten feet tall even, had very blocky features, and appeared to be composed almost _entirely_ out of concrete. Beast Boy paled.

"_Cinderblock!_" he whispered.

"You know him?"

"You kidding me? I _fought_ him! This guy was a _huge_ problem for the Doom Patrol, and now that he's free-"

"He'll cause more trouble." Robin nodded. "Come on. Let's go get the others."

* * *

"So, let me get this straight- there's a giant stone _man_ outside this cell?"

Beast Boy shrugged. "Yeah, pretty much."

They had met up with the other Titans in an abandoned cellblock and were relating what they had found. Cyborg and Starfire had not seen much but a dove and a note. Raven and Windflyer had found something "dark-gruesome" on the wall, but Windflyer did not want to tell them as he found it too violent. That meant Robin and Beast Boy had found the most- if there were any reward to be gained in this competiton, they would've won it by far.

"Did you attempt to engage him in the battle?"

"No." Robin shook his head. "He… We decided to wait until everyone was together. Looks like the guy's pretty powerful."

"You think we can take him on?" Windflyer asked.

"Hey, we're Teen Titans. We can take _anything_ on."

Windflyer grimaced. By Robin's description, Cinderblock was pretty powerful- and if Punk Rocket was the bar for the difficulty of villains here, he pretty much cracked it in half. He soon nodded, though; not much use in thinking over it too much. "I guess… I'll trust you on that, fire-spitter."

Robin smiled, froze. "He's coming. Positions, everyone."

The guards all glared at Cinderblock and shot with their guns. Many struck the edges of the hole he had created, while others connected with his back. Some did not even hit him at all. On feeling the shots, Cinderblock turned to the guards, revealing a blocky-featured face and piercing red eyes, roared loudly, and rose a foot. Guard 1 winced. "Aww… _crap_-"

He brought it down.

**_WHUMMMM!_**

The ground shook. A _long_ fissure appeared in between him and the guards, debris and dust being thrown into their faces. Unable to aim properly any more, they dropped their weapons and fled. Cinderblock harrumphed and trudged into the jail cell.

It was dark and quiet. Cinderblock was confused. Wasn't there supposed to _be_ something here? The masked man had told him he would find a reward, something "beyond his wildest dreams" (Cinderblock didn't bother to make sense of that; it didn't.) Maybe if he slammed on the ground a few times, it would come out and he could snatch it up and take it back to-

"You know, Cinderblock, normally the bad guys break _out_ of jail."

Was that… the… changing man? From the Doom Patrol? Cinderblock was angry now. He _HATED_ the Doom Patrol! Reward or not, he was going to crush the guy's skull into tiny little pieces-

"And I can think of _six_ good reasons why you don't want to break in."

Something pierced the shadows, jumping in front of him and crouching. And that was the robin! Batman's sidekick! He hadn't heard much of Batman, but if Clayface had told him right the man was very fast and _very_ dangerous-

"One!"

Another thing swooped him, smiling at him, and landed besides the robin. It was a girl, but Cinderblock didn't know whom. She looked very pretty with her orange skin and red hair, though. "Two!" she yelled.

Then the changing man, as a tiger, lunged in and changed back into a man. How did he _do_ that? Cinderblock wanted to tell him that his head and arms were still a tiger, but he quickly changed them as well. The man sighed internally. "Three!"

After a moment, something else was upon him, flying down in a robe. She looked like a witch, pale and mysterious. _Witch Hazel?_ No… she couldn't be. She had some jewels that glowed black. Maybe she could help him get some Halloween candy, though. "Four," she chanted.

A robot jumped in next. Cinderblock frowned at the sight… _robots?_ Did they exist? He didn't look _too_ much like a robot, since his face was still real, but everything else about him was metal. He was probably a nerd, going about in a costume. "Five!" Yeah. Cinderblock was definitely going to punch his face in.

Finally…

Cinderblock did not know what to do.

He was a robot as well, but at the same time he looked like an Alien, from the movie. Robots and Aliens couldn't coexist. He _literally_ defied logic… Oh well. At least he had a cool mask and costume. Cinderblock didn't know. He dropped in and did a backflip, landing on his feet. "Six!" he shouted.

They all stood before him now. Cinderblock knew they wanted to hurt him, but he waited. Masked man told him something important about them.

"No matter how you do the math, it all adds up to you going down," One said. Cinderblock was confused. He wasn't going to go 'down'. He _couldn't_. And he couldn't do math either. He growled at this second defiance of logic.

"So, are you going to go quietly…"

Five grinned. "Or is this gonna get loud?"

No. It was _not_ going to get loud. They were too dumb to exist. Cinderblock didn't want to deal with their weird outfits and mental gymnastics any longer. Plus, Three was from the Doom Patrol… and he _HATED_ the Doom Patrol! That was it; they were going _DOWN!_

He roared and barreled straight towards them. Robin stood his ground for a moment, before smiling grimly. "Titans! Go!"

Then they were off. Raven, Starfire, and Lewa took to the air, Beast Boy morphing a hawk to follow them, while Robin and Cyborg stayed on the ground. Rushing towards the villain, the Teen Titans yelled in glee. They had arrived.

* * *

**END OF PART TWO**

* * *

And that's Part Two! Part Three begins adapting the series proper.

1. That first scene takes place in the future. I'm not sure how long.

2. Did you like my character interaction back there? (It sucks. I know.)

Read on for _Divide and __Conquer!_


	28. Divide and Conquer I

**TOA TITANS**

PART THREE: THE FIRST FEW MONTHS

Location: Skippers County Federal Jail, Jump Metropolitan Area.

Current action: Rushing toward a man who had broken in.

Recipient of rushing: Cinderblock, a giant stony villain.

Prognosis: Not looking good.

The Teen Titans, formed in the wake of an alien invasion, had faced quite a few foes since their inception, and this seemed to be the strongest one yet. Sure; Lord Tro'gaar was taken down relatively quickly, and Punk Rocket had been thrashed, but those were last-gasp defeats- and Robin (former protégé of Batman,) Cyborg (a football star rebuilt with robotics,) Starfire (alien princess of Tamaran,) Beast Boy (ex-member of the Doom Patrol and a pretty cool dude,) Raven (a silent and gloomy mage,) and Windflyer (once a Toa Nuva, and the "star" of our story) all knew that wasn't going to be an option here.

He trudged towards them, roaring savagely and glitzy eyes glowing a deep blood red. Robin jumped off and got a good kick in his chest, unnerving Cinderblock and sending him back a bit. The rocky man stay still for a moment before turning around and receiving two starbolts (Starfire's weapons) in the back. Cyborg came in, dealing a right hook for his face, but Cinderblock stopped it (although he was sent back again by the impact.) Windflyer twirled his katana before slashing the villain with it and sending him running; Beast Boy, taking the form of a hawk, continued the assault and raked him with his talons. Finally, Raven floated in before Cindberblock, lifted up a section of the cracked floor, and calmly allowed him to _smash_ his way into it.

Cyborg, Starfire, and Robin rushed him once more. Unfortunately, Cinderblock was prepared; with a powerful backhand, Starfire was the only hero left standing. She threw some more starbolts at him, but he grabbed her with his massive hands and pulled her into his face. The girl gasped a bit as the villain tried to crush her, but soon gave a catlike smile: "I am sorry to disappoint you," she said sweetly, eyes glowing as she did so, "but I am stronger than I look!" Then she headbutted Cinderblock, forcing him to let go, and high kicked him to a wall. A screeching call heralded Beast Boy's arrival, the male swooping down and quickly transforming into a tyrannosaurus rex. The rex charged, stomping the floor, but Cinderblock simply stood his ground and knocked him back with a hook of his own.

Windflyer charged next, jumping before Cinderblock and calling on the Pakari to try and push him away; the man was too strong, though, and the attempt was unsuccessful. Raven tried to levitate him away- "Azarath metrion-"

But gasped as she found Beast Boy's shadow steadily growing underneath her. He yelled, transforming to a human as he did so-

**_WHUMP!_**

And fell on the both of them like an anvil on a cartoon character.

He was the first to get up, shaking his head to clear it of the pain. Windflyer then jumped out of the pile, frowning at him. Finally, Raven stood, gritting her teeth angrily, before calming herself as a strand of hair overlaid her face.

Beast Boy smiled sheepishly, trying to relieve the tension. "Heh… watch out for falling dinosaurs?" She only glared at him and blew the strand away. "I'm gonna leave you two alone now," he said, quickly fleeing.

Cinderblock chuckled at this tomfoolery and started after him. The guy was funny, but he couldn't have his head uncrushed any longer. He was halfway through the room when-

_Ow! _The robin had jumped on and gotten him in a headlock!

Cinderblock dashed around wildly, unable to move properly with the guy jerking his neck. He then spotted a girder- idea! It struggled for a bit, but the man's strength allowed him to pull it out easily, pieces of concrete in tow. The robin growled. "Thrashing only makes me hold tighter!"

Now Cinderblock was confused. _Thrashing?_ What was _that_ supposed to mean? He wasn't committed to having the robin pushing him around, though, so he raised the girder over his shoulder to pound his head in- oh, no head, the idiot had jumped away-

**_CLANG!_**

Cinderblock grabbed at his head, obviously in pain. Cyborg looked at this, wondering if it would be effective if- then he saw another girder. _Now _there's_ an idea! _He ripped it off and charged towards Cinderblock, now having recovered, swinging madly as he did so…

The fight was intense. Cyborg and Cinderblock flew at each other with their girders, slashing like pirates on a sinking ship. The cell flashed blue each time they connected- giving off a mighty **_CLANG_** in the process- making it hard to tell who won, but it seemed the robotic was gaining ground over the rocky. The two struggled at close quarters, Cinderblock pushing Cyborg back for a massive swing-

_Don't._

Cinderblock growled- of _course_ he would!

_You're _not_ going to hurt Cyborg-brother._

Who? Cinderblock didn't care for names.

_The robot. I won't _let_ you!_

The man struggled at this. He guessed he wouldn't after all- no- wait, was he an _idiot_? Well… even more so than usual, anyway? Why should this "Cyborg-brother" get better treatment than anybody else? He raised the girder back- _No, you idiot! Drop it!_ Cinderblock wasn't an idiot. The girder was put in position- _Stay put!_ He didn't care, it went- _NO! Stop this-_

No. The _voice_ would stop this. He raised the girder again, swinging forcefully-

**_CLANG!_**

And made his mark. Upon being hit, Cyborg-brother and his girder flew back, skidding against the floor.

Pretty girl soon floated down, her hands glowing. Cinderblock knew she had allied herself with the changing man, but why? She was too good for him. He sighed and raised his girder once more-

_Hssss._ Or what was _left_ of it. Some green flash had heated it and turned it into mush. Cinderblock grunted in surprise, grasping for something else he could use… only to find nothing. Pretty girl was _evil._ She laughed at him while witch and alien looked on. Now he clenched his fist, moving to _crush _her- wait! Masked man had told him to do something _else_ important here… he grasped at his mind for what… _OH!_ The prisoner! Cinderblock grunted at the pretty girl- good _riddance_- and trudged off.

Windflyer sighed. "Guess my Komau isn't as good as it's supposed to be."

"No," Raven returned. "It's fine, albeit a bit weak. Cinderblock was just too rowdy to control."

"You think so? He blatantly made an effort to cast me out…"

Raven frowned. "Yeeeah. I don't think he cares much to be thrown around by a bunch of pretty boys."

Windflyer moved to object, but stopped himself short.

Cyborg groaned, still flat on his back. That last hit by Cinderblock had been a bit… stranger than before. He wanted to see why, but the man had just _left_. The robotic man stayed on the dirt floor for a bit, taking in the musky smell, before Robin came by and offered a hand. As the hero helped Cyborg up, he dusted himself off.

Robin smirked. "Want to give this guy the Sonic Boom?"

Cyborg converted his arm into a sonic cannon and grinned. The Sonic Boom was a move he and Robin had been working on (Robin had said it was to increase "unity", for whatever outlandish reason, so today seemed like the best time to try it.)

"I got the Sonic if you got the Boom," he said, holding the cannon up.

The Titans regrouped and looked down the smoky hallway, still flashing red. Farther down, Cinderblock continued to stomp. He had remembered that the masked man had said his reward would satisfy his "greatest desire", which gave him even more impetus to get the prisoner out of here. That Hawaii vacation was just barely in his stony grasp-

"_Yo, ROCKHEAD!_"

He stopped and turned around. Oh. _Cyborg-brother_ was back for more.

The man and the robin ran towards him for a bit before moving apart and dashing up the walls. Then they jumped towards each other, Cyborg-brother's cannon warming up-

Only to mess up whatever they were planning, getting tangled up via their feet, spinning out of control. Cinderblock winced. That looked like it must have hurt… then both smashed into a wall. _Definitely hurt._ Their weapons crashed as well, the cannon exploding in a sound blast that took the changing man and pretty evil girl off their feet and a small disk flying out of the robin's hand, exploding as well and sending clumps of dirt in the alien and the witch's faces.

Cinderblock smiled inwardly at the fireworks. They were rather fun to watch, and he wouldn't have minded seeing a bit more before he crushed-

_The prisoner!_

Couldn't forget Hawaii. He trudged towards another wall, smashed it, and walked right through the hole and others that lay in his wake. A lone prisoner stepped out of the gap, looking at the destruction, then gasped in awe.

"Hey, hey, look at this!" he called.

A group of them stepped out. They too gasped.

"It's _freedom!_" They could all escape!

The first smiled confidently. "Let's do it! Let's get out of here!"

"**_YEAH!_**"

Sprinting into the holes, each looked at each other happily.

Robin got to his feet and groaned, rubbing his head. That hadn't worked as they'd planned-

Wait. Was that-

A low rumble. A chorus of stamping feet.

"**_WE'RE FREE!_**"

Oh god.

A throng of prisoners had taken advantage of the two's- _Cyborg's_- mistake to escape! Robin growled at this, pulling out his bo staff and extending it to full length, and took fighting stance with the others.

They ran down the corridor, looking for the entrance. "Should be around here somewhere!" a prisoner said. "Might have to search a bit before we can-"

He stopped, panicked.

The others frowned. What was his _problem-_

"**_ROOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRR RR!_**"

_A T-REX!_

And the Teen Titans, at that!

The prisoners cringed and fumbled for weapons, but the T-rex roared again. Robin looked to the others, moving towards them angrily, nodded, then leaped forward for a punch…

* * *

_(A/N: Switch in perspective here. Sorry if it seems a bit jarring.)_

Ugh… where am I?

I _know_ it can't be the ship, that's for certain. It'd held up to out fighting for a bit before somebody screamed and it exploded. We were drowning for a bit before some creatures came and took Kiina away. That reminds me… where _is _Kiina? She'll be alone as well, and if I know Kiina, she'll be _majorly_ pissed-

"Ah, you're awake. Calm yourself."

Who's this? Looks to be one of the natives here. Short, stocky, bald, glasses, weird coat. He frowns for a bit before making an effort to smile. Taking a cue, I try to smile as well.

The action forces me to open my eyes… and now I _KNOW_ I can't be on the ship. It's too dry, sterile, calm. Reminds me of the jail the Great Beings held us in this one time we invaded the Valley. Strange to say, given what they've done to us, but it actually… gives me comfort. My heart sinks a bit.

"I'm surprised you didn't die. It took quite a while to get all of that water out of you, and even then your condition was telling."

Telling of what? The drowning? Did he take me out? Go figure.

On that note, his language is _really_ hard to understand! I mean, it's pretty similar to ours, with the grammar and all, but I still find myself struggling to pick out the strange pronunciation… now I know how Lewa felt among the Bota Magnans. This is maddening.

I try to gesture, similar to how he had before using the Language Stone, trying to find out why I am here. The man raises an eyebrow and says, in his mangled tone, that I was drowning in the ship. Of _course _I was, you idiot! I just want to know why!

The man sighs and says he was the first one on the scene. The Gordanians were something he did not want to mess with. I nod at that- some of 'em gave us a _really_ big problem.

I stay still for a bit, letting him look over me, before asking where I have been taken. The native freezes before groaning.

"You're in _jail_. I _had_ to take you here."

_WHAT?_ _Why?_ Surely they hadn't confused me for an enemy…

The man notices my disdain and nods. "We thought you might've allied with those reptiles. Seems pretty unlikely now, but oh well. LexCorp is LexCorp."

I have to assume LexCorp is the enemy here.

Moving off the bench I have been placed on, I make preparations to leave the jail only to be harshly stopped by the man. He says that not _only_ am I required to _stay_ here, but he has also made some… alterations that may prevent me from doing so. I look at him with a growl, but he explains they were somewhat serious… I ignore this and take a step-

**_SPIRITS!_**

The pain, oh slag the pain… it's overwhelming. My foot has only just _touched_ the ground before I am prey to a searing stinging feeling. I plead with the man for help. He shrugs. "See what I mean?"

No. I do _not_ see what he means. Despite the pain, I am desperate to get out, so I move my other foot-

**_WHUMMMM!_**

**"**_Starfire, something coming up on your left!_"

"_Right, Robin!_"

Wait. I _recognize_ that voice. It is- Robin is the one who stormed into the throne room and led Lewa and some others to take him on. _LEWA!_ Is it possible that he, too, is fighting somewhere nearby? Not to mention that Tanika is among them… I turn to the man. He grins.

"They're the Teen Titans! Newest hit on the block… _everyone's_ heard of them! Not exactly the biggest fan myself- I always liked Young Justice more- but it's nice to see Robin on a team again!"

So Robin has been on a team before, and Tanika has had her plight heard. I _have_ to learn more. Another step, another wave of pain, another explosion and a bright green flash-

"Maybe I should go see what they're up to," he says, moving towards the door. I look on in concern. The fighting seems violent, and although I do not _completely_ trust the man, I know I cannot just let him die.

The door slides open, sleek smooth breathing reminding me all too much of the _Stormfront_. I shudder a bit. That was _not_ one of my better days.

I'm remembering our escape, sight of the cannon still fresh on my mind, when Tanika/Starfire screams "_Robin!_" and a wolf leaps past us. He's green, opaque emerald eyes gleaming, but it is surprisingly the least unnerving thing on my mind. Another man runs away, but the wolf is quick to lap him up. Robin growls, asks somebody named Raven to take him out, and-

"Azarath metrion _ZINTHOS!_"

A black light sweeps the room, things appearing in a negative tone. The man is lifted up and thrown to a nearby wall. My man cringes and shuts the door, breathing rapidly. "That wasn't such a good idea," he gasps. I nod but stand my ground. I recall such a chant being used to take down the ship, and if the Teen Titans are here to destroy this jail similarly, I _must_ take them down…

The man sighs. "If you _want_ to express your concern, just tell me."

I frown. I cannot. We do not speak the same tongues. All the same, though, I begin to speak, old Tesaran folk tale on the tip of my-

"See? What did I tell you?"

"Nothing. You told me absolutely-"

I pale- how was that- how did I _understand _him? I look to the man in shock- "What did you do?"

He only smiles. "Did a little bit of… surgery on you to make things a bit easier. How does it work?"

"Quite well," I say. "But aren't these guys here to-"

**_SLAM!_**

Something big pounds against the door. I fall, knocked back by the force. The man comes over to help me up; I hold out a hand to him, overcoming the pain, when I realize-

Oh slag. My hands were very robotic before, but those had been implants, used to supplement the biological muscles. These are fully mechanical, and if the man- "Simon." is right, LexCorp forced him to…

LexCorp is _DEFINITELY _the enemy here.

* * *

Cellblock 49 was in the high-security complex, designed to hold only the worst culprits. Even then, many feared it. It was the _only_ cellblock to have its own door, isolated from the rest- and rumor had spread that its prisoner was the _worst_, the most dangerous. _Nobody_ wanted to go in there.

Until now, that is.

Cinderblock rumbled up to the facility, footsteps causing minor earthquakes wherever he stepped. He walked up to the sign outside it, shadow all but covering it- "Prisoner 385901- _Absolute __**Silence!**_" The man harrumphed. Silence would be all but necessary when he was through.

The cellblock was mostly devoted to empty space, the only thing taking up the massive area being a giant cylindrical tank of liquid itself held up by the ceiling. Inside the tank, fronted by extremely thick glass, a man dressed in only his underwear floated upright in a thick purple liquid. He was sleeping at the moment, but his features could still be made out- thin, stickly body, shaved head, wisened features suggesting he was in his thirties. Loud snores permeated the glass, revealing him to be deep in sleep-

**_SMASH!_**

And, surprisingly, still in it. Cinderblock smashed the door off its hinges, trudged up to the tank, _ripped_ it off the apparatus that held it, punched a massive hole in the floor, and jumped straight through. Hoses jumped madly, spewing the liquid and some strange gases around, and the alarm began to ring, but the man would just not _wake up_. Even when the container got stuck in the hole and Cinderblock had to yank it through, prisoner 385901 remained in a deep sleep. Whatever he had taken had been very strong.

* * *

"Let's go, let's go!"

The Titans had felled many of their comrades, but the first two prisoners to escape still pulled on through. The entrance to 385901's cell appeared on their right, signaling that the entrance would be coming up soon- and sure enough, the smashed debris of the outer wall's gate appeared.

"I think we're gonna make it!"

The two stopped at the wall, trying to figure out how to make their move. A shocked camera crew documented their escape, lights flashing rapidly-

Only to be covered up. Random pieces flew back up to the bent frame, forcing the prisoners back. Prisoner 1 frowned, and the second echoed this sentiment. "_Huh?_"

A large black vortex appeared on the gate, swirling slowly. A being floated through, the vortex blipping out of existence to reveal the gate had been fixed, suddenly repaired by an unseen force, and also showed that-

_Raven._

"Think again."

The air began to glow black with magic. As the two realized their fate, dark tentacles appearing to tie them up, they turned to each other and screamed.

"Are we _there_ yet?"

"No! Trigon's not here! And I think I just saw Raven…"

"That's a _good_ thing, right?"

"No."

"Ugh. I _knew _we should've taken that book when we'd had the chance."

"You _want_ to fight a socially awkward dragon monster?"

"Better than _this._"

"Hmmm… yeah. Probably will be."

* * *

The ear-piercing alarm slowly began to dim before shutting off entirely- the lights stayed on, however. The police still needed to inspect the building for damage. Some watched the abandoned cellblock, looking through Cinderblock's holes as the handcuffed prisoners returned to their cells. The Titans stood nearby, Beast Boy demorphing from a gorilla to a human.

"Jailbreak?" he said with a smug smile. "I don't see any jailbreak."

Robin growled, turning away. "None of us would've _SEEN_ one if _Cyborg _hadn't _messed up!_"

"_ME?_ I 'messed up' _NOTHING!_" Cyborg glared, Robin's cape blowing back with the force of his tone. "_YOU_ got in my way!"

"_You_ were too far forward, and Cinderblock got away because of it!"

"You saying this is _MY_ fault?

The Boy Wonder's eyes sparked. "Want me to say it again?"

The two stared at each other angrily before Starfire pushed them away. "_Stop!_" she yelled. "No more mean talking!"

The arguers harrumphed and turned away. "Yeah," Beast Boy added. "If you two are going to fight, we need time to sell tickets."

Raven stepped up and frowned. "Cinderblock escaped. No amount of yelling will change that. So stop acting like idiots, and let's go home."

Cyborg and Robin glowered at each other over their shoulders. "_Hmph!_" they both said. The two walked away, breathing softly, and left the other Titans unnerved.

"Loser," Robin murmured.

"_Jerk._"

"**_WHAT DID YOU SAY?_**"

The two whirled to face each other, eyes blazing. Robin was now fully angry. "Do you have a _problem_, Tin Man?"

"_Yeah!_ It's four feet tall and smells of cheap hair gel!"

Everyone still in the room backed against the wall, scared out of their mind. Beast Boy cried. The attackers continued to fight in front of them.

"Well, _you're _an oversized klutz and your feet smell of motor oil!"

"You're bossy, you're _rude_; you got _no_ taste in music! I have just the right mind to-"

"_QUIET! Both_ of you!"

They turned to Windflyer, irritated at his interruption. The Toa merely stood his ground and crossed his arms, eyes narrowed at them.

"So Cinderblock got _away_," he spat. "Who _CARES?_ We stopped a _jailbreak_, _together_, and quite well, I might add! This is an occasion to be _celebrated! Happy-cheer!_"

Cyborg glared. "You don't get a say in this-"

"**_HAPPY-CHEER!_**"

The two glowered at Windflyer angrily. He shrank back and harrumphed. "_Fine. _Fight all you want. _I don't care._"

"Windflyer is _stupid_, but he's right," Robin said. "I don't even _KNOW_ why you're on this team!"

"That makes three of us! _I QUIT!_"

The other Titans stared at this, eyes widened in complete shock. As they watched, Cyborg stamped away, Robin hanging his head.

"_Thanks. _I was just trying to be _helpful_," Windflyer said darkly.

* * *

The night sky was aloft with lights, various barges delivering their loot to the city. In the Tanghal Warehouse, Wintergreen stood alone, dusting off some furniture and humming a happy tune about a cricket player and some crumpets. He had just gotten to the part about the mayor's wife and the cheese wheel when-

_BANG! BANG! BANG!_

Wintergreen cringed. Was that- the man Slade had sent for? He hesitated to find out- his master had been scaring him a lot as of late-

**_BANG! BANG! BANG!_**

"_Do you mind getting that, Wintergreen?_"

Wintergreen hesitated for a moment, nodded. "O-on it, sir!" He slowly reached for the hinge, sliding the large door open…

He cringed again.

If this was whom Deathstroke wanted… the man really _was_ off his game. A giant stony beast stood outside the doorway, fiery red eyes glowing angrily. He growled, grunting and moving his head. In a giant fist, he held a strange tank, a man inside. Wintergreen moved to ask whom, but the rock merely brushed it off.

The butler frowned, but called Slade anyway. "_Master!_ He is here!"

"_Cinderblock? Very well. Bring him in._"

Wintergreen grumbled at Slade's choices and allowed Cinderblock to drag him and the tank towards the Terminator's office.

Gears turned. Sets of industrial equipment shifted, hard at work building something. Elsewhere, atop a comforted chair on a tall platform, itself bathed in dim red light that turned his armour grey and his mask red-orange, Slade smiled. Things were going along well.

A low rumble sounded, the equipment shaking. He was here. The Terminator waited as a man appeared, setting a tank down on the floor and _throwing_ Wintergreen into his face.

He groaned. "Sir, I don't believe this was a good idea…"

"No," Slade whispered, "it completely was. Trust me." He turned to the beast. "Cinderblock. I see your mission was a success." Cinderblock nodded.

The man beamed. "Good. We will proceed with Phase Two. Wake him."

Cinderblock reached for the cap that held the tank closed, struggling to take it off. It took a while, but he eventually did, a loud _pop_ sounding and large clouds of purple emanating. As they cleared, the man inside beginning to awaken, Wintergreen paled.

"Are you _sure_ this is the right plan of action, Wilson?" he whimpered. "The man's a bloody scientific experiment!"

"Patience, Wintergreen."

The man in the tank groaned, startled by the interaction. "I'm… awake?" His eyes widened and he began to panic. "I should _never_ be awake! I'm only human when I'm sleeping!"

"But for what I have in mind, your human form is useless." Slade leaned towards him and grinned darkly. "_I need Plasmus._"

The man's eyes glowed yellow before he screamed; form bulging and puffing like a kid playing with silly putty. The mass that was once a human pressed against the glass of the tank before it gave out and finally shattered, tiny pieces sprinkling across the floor. The mass climbed out of its former prison and overwhelmed Cinderblock, bringing more of the purple fumes with him. As it cleared, the light having been taken out, it reformed into a more humanoid shape, large lumpy form augmenting a very wide mouth and tiny, piercing yellow eyes.

"_Slade!_"

Slade smiled. "Meet Plasmus and Cinderblock. They form the bulk of Prophase One."

Plasmus stood still for a moment before moving to the two, opening his massive maw and _ROARING._ It was a _very_ good thing Cinderblock hadn't been able to wake him up- the guy would've been dead. And soon the Titans would be too.

* * *

"So, I have a plan."

Gali looked at Tahu funnily. He grinned.

"We'll head to the Valley, contact the Great Beings and _ask_ them to be taken to the Gordanians. Then we can beat them up and hopefully find Lewa! It's _foolproof!_"

Gali smiled helpfully then frowned. "Tahu, I don't know if that will work…"

"But the Great Beings are _here_! We can still find them!"

"I know, brother, but…" She sighed. "What is the point, really? They have left. Lewa is gone. There is no use trying."

"You were pretty confident before…"

Tahu and Onua had followed Nokama's advice and laid low in the caverns for a while, watching as the Matoran and Agori rebuilt New Atero. Then they had ventured out to find the other Toa. Gali had stayed surprisingly close to Tahu, sheltering in the market near his house- the Toa had wondered if it was a sign that she forgave him-

"Yeah, 'cause _you_ made me so."

Or if she just needed a place to stay. Oh well. Tahu imagined she hadn't taken this well, anyway. It just didn't make sense that the one who kept preaching unity wasn't following it himself… or that he, who hated it the most, actually _was_. But this planet seemed to work strangely that way.

"I… but I…"

Onua put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "It is all right, brother. We cannot expect to get along so quickly."

_Thanks for having my opinion, brother._

They had fought for a while, Tahu trying his hardest not to yell at Gali while she passive-aggressively ignored in. Then Onua had come in and drove them off before the Toa of Fire explained their predicament. She had not acknowledged it at all until Onua had mentioned Lewa's involvement, that seeming to ignite a flame in her (how ironic.) Gali had mentioned that while she'd _seen_ the Gordanians move out, she hadn't known that Lewa had flown to them- and that actually made her nervous. Not that Tahu cared.

"Eh… he has a point, Onua. If Lewa is really in as much danger as you say, we have to go after him."

"Even if he's dead?"

Gali smiled. "Even if he's dead."

The three fistbumped and collapsed exhaustedly on the sandy floor.

"Where do we start?" Onua asked. "We have no idea where the pool might be, let alone where our brother _is_."

The Toa of Water looked at him for a moment, reached for his face and played around with his receptors for a bit before smirking playfully.

"Oh, don't worry," she said huskily. "I have a good idea."

* * *

1. Are the Toa still able to use the Noble Kanohi? I don't know.

2. That Gresh scene doesn't take inspiration from _The Hunger Games_. No siree. Not at all.

3. The Nuva plotline is going to be dragged out to hell because they can't exactly meet Lewa just yet.

Read and review!


	29. Divide and Conquer II

It was a day after the standoff at the jail. As the sun beat down over the Tower lazily, its remaining residents sluggishly went along their day- or at least they _tried_ to.

Starfire stood at the counter, mixing some strange concoction (Tamaranean food, Lewa assumed) in a pot. Raven looked at a wall of screens nearby. Windflyer sat crosslegged by the window, floating and reading a book. Robin looked out of them dully from another spot. The Titans, merely teenagers, could not seem to shake off the stress of last night- Beast Boy paced frantically behind Raven, phone in his hand. He was the only exception.

The Tower's main phone rang, but no one bothered to pick it up. It instead went to the answering machine with a loud _click_.

"Hey, this is Cyborg. I'm either in the gym, playing GameStation, or out kicking bad guy butt. Leave a message."

_BEEEEP._

"Hello? Cy? Pick up!" Beast Boy paused, breathing growing more frantic. "I _know _you're there. The phone's built into _your_ _arm!_"

Raven sighed and pressed a key on the screen. Beast Boy kept the phone on for a bit longer before he hung up exasperatedly. Finishing mixing the dish she was making, Starfire took out a glop and held it up to him.

"Taste," she commanded.

The boy glowered at her, remembering the incident with the glorg, before she shoved it in his mouth. His eyes widened as he took in the taste, jerking dramatically and falling to his knees. The convulsions threatened to continue, but he finally spat it out, breathed deeply, and pawed his tongue to get every last bit out of his system.

"What _is_ that?" he said disbelievingly. "Cream of toenails?"

"Pudding of Sadness," Starfire said, taking a bite herself. "It is what the people of my planet eat when bad things happen."

It seemed she was not being too truthful, as soon an eye twitched and she struggled to keep the thing down. Her eyes watered, cheeks puffing, but with a swallow and a bit of effort the pudding was digested (although she continued to dry heave for a little while afterwards.) As Raven looked over some data on the screens, Starfire brought her the bowl of pudding.

She smiled. "Try. The… displeasing taste will ease your troubled mind."

Raven turned to her and frowned. "My mind is _never_ troubled," she intoned. "People come. People go. It's pointless to be upset about Cyborg."

This was not truthful as well- her hair suddenly swirled wildly, covering her face, and all the screens exploded violently in tandem. Raven kept her emotions in check quite nicely, but this time it was clear as day that she was upset.

She herself did not seem to notice, however, even when seeing Starfire's troubled expression. "What?"

Windflyer finished the next chapter of his book and rolled his eyes. It was an interesting story, sure, but the events seemed so _relevant_- at the end of the last chapter, the hero had yelled at his friends, believing that they had lied to him (when in truth they were withholding knowledge to protect his life,) and trudged off in anger. He knew it was immature to make such a connection, and in fact sympathized with the hero's concerns, but nonetheless-

It had struck a tone with him. Windflyer didn't really want to admit it, being a bit shy among the others, but he felt he'd caused Cyborg to break off. The Toa wanted badly to look for him and help, but Robin had been so _sad_, and he wasn't exactly going to leave a friend in need- maybe when he knocked off a few more chapters-

"_Windflyer?_ Do you wish to consume the Pudding of Sadness?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Pudding of _Sadness?_ Seriously? Starfire, I'm not-"

"But you seem the unwell," Starfire returned, floating up to him. "I would not want you to continue damaging yourself like this…"

"_Ugh_. Look, it's not that-" Windflyer marked his page by folding the corner, put the book away on its front, and continued, sighing. "I'm not actually _sad_, Starfire. I'm just-" He froze, hand on his mask. "Concerned."

"Over what?"

"I… messed up. In the heat of the moment even. I should've kept my mouth shut, let them fight things out, but… I _let_ them leave. Needed to do something."

Starfire smiled reassuringly and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Friend, it would not have helped. Robin and Cyborg were not in the very good mood. You did what you could."

Windflyer sighed again. "I know, but- Look." He turned to the others. "Have I ever told you guys why I _left?_"

Beast Boy thought this over. "Because you hated everyone?"

"Because you _wanted_ to?"

"Yeah… We had a fight. Tahu-brother and me. Over things we should've worked out beforehand. At the time it wasn't an issue- I figured I might have been better off on my own, but then _everybody_ was against me- so I just up and flew away. Okay, I thought, this won't be an issue either; I can just go talk to Kiina and Gresh. Bad move too- we were fine at first, but then Kiina-friend wanted to _fight_ me- playfully, of course- and-"

"Then you met me," Starfire said. "Is that not the _good_ thing?"

"Then you got kidnapped." He held his head in his hands. "I could've prevented _that_ easily, but I just stood my ground. That got me in a very bad place- thanks, by the way. Point is, Cyborg-brother has angry-left as well, and I couldn't help but notice it happened in much the same way I did- mask-cracked brother-friends, fight with a dark-villain, stomping off in mad-jealousy. If he find someplace he can stay-hang, I'm worried he might-"

"Get into trouble," Robin finished. "I can't blame you."

Windflyer gaped. "But you _CAN!_ I had _no_ reason to speak-talk, and you were both angry-mad at me, which is fine, but now Cyborg-brother is in an unknown-place, and he's gonna get himself hurt-injured, and you'll all dark-hate me, and it's _all my fault-_"

"Eat!"

Starfire pushed a spoonful of the pudding into his mouth. The Toa kept it in for only a second before he spit it out, retching violently. He paled. "Okay, maybe I _am_ a little bit sad."

As the sunlight glinted Robin's hair, the hero looked over Jump City morosely. Windflyer was _wrong._ He should have kept _his _mouth shut-

Starfire floated over to him, both silhouetted in the sun, and held out her bowl. "Here, Robin. You must need this most of all, since… well…"

"I'm fine."

He turned away. "Who knows? Maybe we're better off without him."

She held the bowl for a bit longer before nodding, lowering it, and looking at him in concern.

* * *

Cyborg looked at the decimation and decided that no, he was _not_ better off without Robin.

It was filthy. Globs of goo lay prone all over the floor, giving off a rancid stench, and debris had been filtered beside it. Worried that his old friend might have been taken away, Cyborg's mechanical heart caught in his throat-

Wait, that was stupid. Peyton was resourceful. This guy seemed dangerous, but the guy could probably hold him off long enough to sneak out the window or something.

With that, he looked out the window. Jump was quiet, it being a Wednesday, and the roads seemed bare with few cars. Children played in a nearby park, screaming in joy. A cruise ship rolled into the harbor, small plane flying over the Tower-

The _Tower._

Would they-

He _had_ to go after this goop monster, but for some reason, he wanted to see Robin, even though he knew he shouldn't. The Boy Wonder himself was very nice, but Batman had brought him up, and the guy was obviously one to hold a grudge. Hopefully he hadn't tainted him _too_ much…

_Tainted!_ That settled it. This guy wasn't gonna be free much longer.

Cyborg moved to the window, intending to jump out-but soon recoiled. It was too high, and he wasn't sure his gadgets would hold out. Besides, being a pile of bolts and flesh wasn't a fate he wanted to have. He ran to the door, rounded the corner, and dashed for the rickety but faithful elevator.

It had been damaged quite a bit, but miraculously enough, the thing stil seemed to work. That was Old Bertha for you. She always held up when you needed it.

Paul, the old and crotchety concierge, sat behind a counter. He was obviously very annoyed by the ruckus, but a pile of papers had been laid out in front of him and he peered them over. Like Old Bertha, Paul was one man you could count on to stay put.

He stamped a paper that would allow a couple to go out to a prestigious French restaurant, but saw Cyborg running down the aisle and frowned. "_No running in the lobby!_"

"I'm not running, Paul!" Cyborg breathed. "I'm _tryin' _to catch this slimy guy!"

"Slimy… guy? Y'mean that banker?"

"_NO! _Well, yes, that guy's really sleazy, but… someone else! He must've come by here- I can see the damage- did he-"

Paul glowered at Cyborg. "If he had done anything, I would've seen it."

"Okay. Do you at least know where someone like him might've gone?"

"The commercial district, the building offices." Paul shrugged. "Don't ask me. I'm just a cranky wrinkled concierge, having to arrange some lousy date at La Chambre Oxygène-"

Cyborg's eyes widened. The Oxygen Room- a room where they make… oxygen! Which was a chemical! _The factory!_ Of course!

He ran off, thanking Paul as he went (the man merely growled, let off a small "You're welcome, Victor" and went back to his paperwork,) and checked his arm. The factory wasn't too far away. He'd be able to take on this guy and Cinderblock and woo Robin no sweat.

* * *

The gym was modern and air conditioned, containing all sorts of exercise implements. All the Titans went here- some more than others- but it was Starfire, Cyborg, and Robin who worked out the most. Normally Cyborg would have been alongside him, punching the various bags with much vigour, but things were now silent, save for Windflyer's quiet stretching and the boy's frequent hits. He breathed deeply, steeling himself for a powerful blow then leaned down and roundhouse kicked his bag. Now fully tired, he slumped down and recovered. Cyborg usually took to the weight benches, making snide comments at Robin while he lifted his huge barbells, and now…

He didn't have the motivation.

In the kitchen, Beast Boy took a stack of plates from the group's lunch and lifted them onto the pile. He wasn't going to scrub these- it wasn't his turn! Beast Boy adjusted the pile, wincing as it shook a bit, then-

Windflyer came in, looking depressed. He sighed and took a plate.

Beast Boy frowned. "You okay, dude?"

"No. Of _course_ I'm not okay. Everything I see reminds me of Cyborg."

"Like these plates."

Windflyer looked at the plate he had begun washing curiously. "I don't… _know_, brother. Should they? Does he wash them regularly?"

"Not a clue. _Yo!_ Whose turn to do dishes?"

"_Cyborg_," Robin called, coming in and taking a plate himself.

Beast Boy gazed at Windflyer concernedly then cried out at the realization. The Toa only muttered obscenities to himself.

The ops centre after dinner- Robin sat on the couch, playing _Duteous Landings_ on the GameStation. The TV was bright, so Windflyer, who was reading by the window, sighed and covered his mask with the book. Robin ignored him and continued to play.

He had just reached the final level- in the story, the two enemy commanders, who had been at odds for a while, had reunited to take on the enemy leader. Now they flew through the skies, working in tandem to blast him out of them. The level was hard, all things considered, but Cyborg had been savvy enough to beat it; so, for bragging purposes, Robin tried to himself.

The leader's health bar was beginning to drop, his craft being damaged by Robin's shots. He licked his lips in anticipation. "Come on, come on…"

Now the leader gnashed his jaws at this interference and brought out some rockets, upgrading his plane. Robin narrowed his eyebrows. "I'm not scared to take…"

"_Ouch! I've been hit!_"

No!

"_Don't worry, man! I've got the sonic if you've got the boom!_"

The other plane, equally as dented, barrel rolled towards his and supported him with his wing. "Yeah!" Now back in the game, Robin pressed a button, sending a servo of bullets towards the leader's plane. His health bar continued to lower; he would be dead soon. "Got it! Just one more and…"

The two ships locked together, pilots in perfect sync, and sent forth a giant rocket. The leader scoffed at this, uncaring of their efforts, but they soon rolled around and shot it…

His eyes widened as things grew hot. Bad idea letting them both live.

"_Yes!_"

The plane exploded, enemy leader going down with it. The pilots high-fived each other as the score was tallied. A final cutscene played, but Robin ignored it, wanting to find out his total. The movie went on for a while, even with Robin fast-forwarding, and the credits seemed to drag too…

The screen flashed red and blue and the score sheet popped up. Cyborg's was at the top- 1,000,000 points in all-

"New high score!"

"'_SMASH!' Congratulations!_"

"Nice work, brother."

Robin- 5,000,000! Wow! He'd… actually… done… it…

Cyborg had been right; he _was_ a jerk. He couldn't let this go on.

He stood outside Cyborg's door and sighed. Cyborg had not made any intention to _leave_ the Tower, but he'd left the Titans, and Robin had the right to search the team's rooms at any time…

No more clowning around.

The door slid open with a satisfying _hiss_. Inside, things were simple. A small wooden bookcase stood against a wall, various genres of books in its shelves and picture frames and an autographed baseball on its top. Nearby, a surprisingly simple computer lay on a desk, football by the monitor. A trophy case with quite a few awards was set in a corner, one even given by the president. A few self-repair/diagnostics terminals were at the other. The walls were a calm blue and the floor was tiled, giving way to a large tilted table with a footrest-

His bed.

The bed that Cyborg would no longer be sleeping in.

Robin took a picture from the dresser and looked at it fondly. It had been taken soon after the Gordanian invasion, when the group was elated in general. Windflyer had excitedly taken a reporter's camera and offered to take pictures of everyone; after the general team shot, he wanted images of individuals then anyone who wanted to. Robin had shied away from this, but Cyborg had noticed and pulled him back in. Starfire had giggled at this, and Robin distinctly recalled her saying "This is… _nice_, yes?" Cyborg had laughed, then Beast Boy, then Windflyer, then Raven… then Robin. The picture hadn't been taken right because the Toa was shaking in ecstasy too much; when he finally did, the pose was so well done that he'd offered to let Cyborg have it instead. And here it stood, a testament to better times.

The Boy Wonder sighed. "I'm sorry."

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

Oh. Trouble. _That_ was good news… he hoped.

He ran into the ops centre, checking the TV for any important information. Starfire, Beast Boy, Windflyer, and Raven were looking at it too, eyes moving around in surprise.

Robin frowned. A map of Jump was displayed, a large red flashing dot moving down a black road. "Cinderblock strikes again?"

Beast Boy scoffed. "You wish."

* * *

It was now nighttime. At Nocenti ChemiMill, workers slaved away to make compounds for retail and businesses- or at least they would, if Plasmus hadn't had anything to say about it.

Spurts of chemical sorbets sprayed out of ceiling-hung nozzles anyway, flowing through a pipeline on the factory floor and emerging in a mixture into a barrel at its end. Plasmus stood near it, at the end of the conveyor; as it droned along, he swiped it and many others and swigged them down heartily. Each time he did so he grew a few feet; the first gave two, the second three, and the third would have given him four- a glowing sphere hit it, rupturing the metal and releasing the contents inside. Plasmus growled and peered through the jagged hole, surprised at what he found.

"That stuff can't be good for you."

Plasmus didn't care. He flung the barrel away lazily and burped as it hit the ground.

"Nice one!" the fanged one said.

Wait. Fangs. Slade had told him the person who had that would be an enemy. And if they had broken his drink like that…

He roared, concentrated a bit, and finally launched some gobs of slime from his body.

The Titans were smart. They knew how to scatter. Robin was the fastest, jumping around like an acrobat, and Plasmus focused his attention on him; eventually he landed near a mixing tank on a box, staring straight at him with beady eyes.

"Star! Fly! Let him have it!"

Who was he talking about? Starfire? Where was she hiding-

_FWIP!_

Something had hit him in the arm. Plasmus looked around for the perpetrator, who smiled and twirled a smoking katana. "Well, that was eas- huh?"

Plasmus roared again, pulled his injured arm back, and charged for him. Wasn't going to be hard to suffocate him in goo-

_FWIP!_

A green flash, then lightness.

A gasp. "Did I let him have too much?"

No. She hadn't. Taking a deep breath, he willed the writhing mass that was his body to fill in the gap; it was a tad difficult, but eventually the thing was as good as new.

Beast Boy was the only one to pick up on this; "I'm thinking… not enough!"

Plasmus then balled his fists and extended his arms out again; one flew towards Windflyer, who shielded himself and knocked it back; the other moved for Starfire, standing rigid before screeching as Raven knocked her away.

Robin narrowed his eyes and took a small blue disk out from his utility belt. "Maybe he just needs to chill."

He aimed for a moment, hoping to make his mark, then slung it forcefully at Plasmus; it hung in the air for a heart-stopping second but connected and froze the monster's Starfire-bound arm solid. Plasmus looked at the damage in curiosity before casually throwing it against a pipe and smashing it like a chandelier. Noticing this Robin jumped out of the way while Beast Boy morphed pterodactyl and flew off. In the air, Starfire launched more starbolts at Plasmus while Windflyer slashed at him with his katana and Beast Boy took a few punching strikes with his talon. The goop monster blocked the attacks easily then launched a counterstrike of his own, lashing out at the group with tentacles sent from his missing arm. Starfire, Windflyer and Beast Boy deftly dodged, Starfire throwing starbolts around as the Toa and the male evaded them. This continued for a while before Raven rose as well.

"Azarath metrion _ZINTHOS!_"

She slung several barrels at Plasmus, none of which hit- all barely _breached_ the surface of his slimy chest before sliding in a bit and sticking on to it. His arm now regrown, Plasmus muscled up some strength and threw them back at her; she thankfully managed to dodge. Now Robin tried to take the monster down; he leaped in with a powerful flying kick…

Only to find himself stuck, limb making squishy sounds as it struggled. When he tried using his other leg and a hand, they were engorged too. He growled. "Come on! Let me _go_, you giant zit!"

Plasmus acknowledged the request, snarling and roaring then calling forth a _huge_ jet of slime that sent the Boy Wonder screaming away while also managing to down Beast Boy and Windflyer, whose eyes widened before being knocked back.

The boys got up a few meters away and groaned, dripping with goop.

"Robin!" Starfire yelled, rushing over to him.

He smiled weakly. "I'm okay…" he retched before hacking out a few globs, "sort of."

"Karzahni," Windflyer said, sniffing an arm. "This is _disgusting_."

Beast Boy had only made it to his knees, eyes watering in pain. "And I thought _Star's pudding _tasted bad!"

Suddenly Plasmus howled in the distance, bringing the Titans' attention back to him. He began to howl again, but the rest of his tirade was muffled by a ton of static…

* * *

Emanating from a large monitor placed near a set of controls. Behind it, a large armoured man and a shorter tuxedoed one watched intently.

The larger turned it off and tutted. "Disappointing."

"How so, sir?"

Now a larger stony being began watching as well. "With one Titan missing," the larger continued, "this is almost too easy."

"But-"

"I was expecting more of a challenge. Cinderblock."

"_Sir!_"

"Not _now_, Wintergreen! Begin Phase Three."

Cinderblock, who was currently holding a large stock of equipment, nodded in acceptance and stomped away.

Wintergreen sighed. "Sir, I don't think…"

"Well, you _should_. They may be strong, but they are only kids." The larger smiled. "And only human. I can still win." He drummed on the control box. "Just watch and learn."

"That's the thing, sir, they're only kids!"

"Kids or not," the larger snarled, "they are the enemy. I _must_ take them down."

"But-"

"_I must!_"

Wintergreen pouted. "Bloody _hell_, Slade! I don't know why I still _trust_ you sometimes!"

"Because you love me and will be with me forever?"

"I… suppose…"

Slade patted another chair beside him invitingly. "Good. Then sit down here."

* * *

On the factory floor, a glob of Plasmus's goop splattered down. Starfire stood up in it, checked her hair. "I feel like the underside of a Zornian muck beetle," she groaned in disgust.

Raven, getting up beside her, nodded. "Tell me about it."

Besides them Plasmius pursued Beast Boy and Windflyer, the two managing to outrun him with the Kakama.

"Dude," Beast Boy said, looking over his shoulder, "I am _not_ on the menu!"

"I don't know _what_ we've done to cause this," Windflyer replied, "but you kind of… _are_."

"Am not!"

"Are-too!"

"Am not!"

"Are-too!"

"Am _not!_"

"_Are_- okay, _why_ are we doing this?"

A small birdarang zoomed past him, tied to a long string that circled Plasmus's stumpy legs and bound him. Robin came over, grabbed the rest of the string, and did a few turns himself.

"Oh."

"Maybe the best way to take you down…" Robin snarled, pulling with all his might, "is to tie you up!"

Beast Boy looked at Windflyer smugly before transforming into a rhinoceros and taking advantage of the goop monster's immobility to score a direct hit; Plasmus may not have been _completely_ solid, but the force was still enough to send him spiraling back into some support columns. Starfire toppled one to use as a cuff as Windflyer and Raven took the others- soon he was bound. The Titans watched him as he struggled.

Starfire squealed in elation. "We did it!"

"Nice work, team," Robin said curtly.

Windflyer panted. "That _was _pretty close, though…"

"Yeah. Didn't think we'd pull it off without-"

* * *

For a Wednesday night, Jump's downtown was quite lively.

Lights shined all over, bathing everything in a warm glow. Cars and buses still filled the streets; pedestrians chattered excitedly by them. A small festival rolled on at the park. In roadside nightclubs, things began to heat up.

Cyborg wasn't interested in any of that, though. He'd just wanted to find the factory. It was just…

Something had caught his attention.

The bright lights, the loud, thumping music. Not that he _preferred_ to think of home, but… they kind of reminded him of it. The thought excited him.

He _may_ have been on a mission, to find Cinderblock, but it wasn't official, so he'd supposed he might as well hang here for a while. Better to let the _actual_ heroes do the job.

A snack stand had been set up on the corner of Cardy Road and King's Avenue, by City Hall, and Cyborg was currently buying a hot dog. The owner had been generous and slathered a lot of mustard, and the robotic man licked his lips in anticipation. He paid the man for his work and placed the hot dog in his mouth-

_KRAK!_

"Oh no, it's Cinderblock!"

Cinderblock? _Here?_ Well, that was convenient.

The monster was rampaging through the streets, stopping at the tiled courtyard outside the hall. A large piece of machinery was held hostage in his stony hands- what was it for? Cyborg couldn't imagine _why_ someone as dumb as Cinderblock would ever need it, but…

He'd made a promise to himself to take this guy down. It was now or never.

Shoving the snack in his maw, Cyborg roughly pushed the stand owner away and dashed for the courtyard. The attack had caused a huge traffic jam as people struggled to get away, but he deftly avoided it by jumping over. Landing close to Cinderblock, he stamped a foot down and pulled back his cannon.

"_Yo, rockhead!_"

Cinderblock heard him quite well. Five? It couldn't be. He was not with the others-

"I _hope_ you know that trespassing isn't allowed."

Cinderblock was not _trespassing_. Slade had told him to come here. He roared in disapproval.

"Yeah, I thought so. What's with the hardware?" Five said, referring to the machine. He was not supposed to tell. Again he shared his disenchantment.

Five frowned. "Seriously? Not gonna tell me _anything?_" He began to charge his cannon. "Fine by me. I may not be workin' with the Titans anymore, but that doesn't mean I don't have the right to show it up your craw."

Cinderblock raised his arms up. He wasn't going to take this anymore.

Cyborg smiled. He knew he wouldn't pull this off without Robin, but he'd be damned if he didn't put in any effort. With that in mind, as the cannon glew its brightest, he held it at Cinderblock and whooped.

"Come and _get_ me, you stupid stock of stone!"

* * *

Chapter Two!

1. Is the symbolism stacked on too deep? Is it too obvious? I'm not sure if Lewa would be that concerned...

2. Paul was _not_ intended to be based off Moesby, but I IMMEDIATELY noticed the similarity once I had finished writing that section. (The _Suite Life_ love runs in the family.)

3. I always wondered why they didn't show _how_ Cyborg took down Cinderblock, and well... now you know. From my perspective, anyway.

_Divide and Conquer_ concludes next chapter! Read and review!


	30. Divide and Conquer III

Raven harshly jabbed Beast Boy with her shoulder, forcing him to let out a startled titter; he then realized his mistake, sweat a bit, and laughed nervously. Windflyer glared back at Raven and received a growl in return. Beside him, Robin pulled out an incessantly beeping locator device (he had cobbled it together from some ship parts,) frowned as he looked the screen, then put it back in his utility belt. "We finished just in time," he said to the others. "Cinderblock's been spotted downtown. Come on!"

Windflyer groaned. "We're honestly going after him? Even without… _him?_"

"We've got to _try._"

The Toa nodded and turned to leave with the others, but a loud ear-grating gurgle caught his and Beast Boy's attention. The animalistic male's ears twitched, trying to find out where it was coming from. When he realized what it was, he raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

Plasmus began to ooze, girders shaking under his sheer weight; soon, they broke, the monster's entire body decomposing and flowing free of the restraints then rebuilding itself into a crab monster with one claw, a large purple tentacle, a set of teeth, and a scaly rear limb. Beast Boy paled.

"Uh… _heads up!_"

Plasmus formed a _second _crab claw and rushed at the quintet. Thinking quickly, Windflyer activated his Kakama and hurried them through a pair of giant metal doors, both of which were quickly slammed shut and leaned on. Just in time, too. Plasmus began to harshly pound on the door, snarling as he did so. He could be heard through the metal.

"Five against six!" Beast Boy panted. "_Not_ good odds."

"Those kinds of odds are what we _thrive_ on," Windflyer explained.

Robin clenched his fists and growled. "_Forget_ the odds! We _need_ a plan."

"What _kind_ of plan?" Windflyer asked. "Run away? Sit here and cry? Go back in and rush hi-"

_TREMBLE._

As the three talked, Plasmus had assaulted the doors; now, he had finally managed to force them open. A slimy tendril poked out of the tiny slit, then another. Finally a giant head appeared, causing Starfire to _scream._

"Titans! _Separate!_"

_SMASH!_

The doors swung out with a slam. Starfire, Robin, and Beast Boy split in different directions, swerving through machinery. The snake creation began chasing Starfire; although she put up a good fight, turning and bombarding it with starbolts, it was still able to _reach_ out, catch her by her hair, and drag her down to earth. Beast Boy, using the form of a cheetah to his advantage, sprinted away from a crab claw. It opened its "mouth" wide and lashed at him with a long slimy tongue; caught in its grasp, Beast Boy turned into a gorilla to try and escape, but was quickly tackled.

Raven flew over the floor, watching as the tentacle pursued her on the ground. She mumbled an incantation, bolts and screws falling out of processing machines and causing them to fall violently into the aisle. One after another, they crashed; many missed, the puppet swerving deftly to avoid them, but one soon made its mark. Smugly looking back, she was shocked to find it recovered and leaning in to strike in front of her. There was only time for a loud gasp.

* * *

Teeth gnashed in anticipation, their purpled gums oozing a sickening pus. Behind them, Windflyer made an attempt to strike. They'd been clever so far, trying to trap him unexpectedly, but the Toa had made good use of his athletic skills. Now he was using his Mahiki to distract the monsters with an illusion of chicken while _he_ caught _them_ unexpectedly.

The projection stayed steady for a while before it began to waver, the teeth screeching in anger; Lewa wouldn't be able to keep it up forever. Hands shaking, he reached out with an unclenched arm, hands only _barely _touching the slime, and began to clasp them-

_BARK!_

_OW!_

The damn thing had _bit_ him!

He pulled his arm away forcefully, shaking his injured hand and trying to inspect the damage. The wound wasn't _serious_, but the teeth had been strong enough to actually _pierce _through the armour, leaving two _gaping_ holes. Cyborg would have to fix it… again…

No, wait, he _wouldn't_. His hand would _stay_ like that. Shame.

He kissed it in an attempt to dull the pain, unsheathed his katana, and aimed for the kill…

_BARK!_

Change of plans! The monsters had _split_ _into_ _two_ and bit on his hand(_s_) _again_, this time leaving him in even _more_ pain than before. Windflyer frantically attempted to get them off of his hands, but to no avail; they were stuck. Well and truly _stuck_. Not even _flying_ would get the pesky things away, since they split again and held on. One last-gasp attempt to escape and the Toa fell with a _WHUMP_ to the ground. As Plasmus's spawn dragged him off, he sighed. The team _really_ needed some unity right now.

* * *

Robin was the only Titan left standing. He continued to run among the aisles holding the rest of the processing equipment, the other crab claw trailing straight behind him and gaining. The Boy Wonder stopped for a brief moment to catch his breath, saw a pair of double doors, readied himself to jump, and smashed straight through them. In nauseating green light he fell, only stopped as he found himself being carried along on a conveyor belt. He rubbed his head in confusion.

The claw did not let up its fight; jumping onto the belt behind Robin, it reared back for a strike. Despite being made of goo, it managed to stay standing; the boy's quickfire bo staff slashes did not even _touch_ its inner parts, only finding purple, and the end of the weapon broke off (although Robin covered with an extension of the other side. Plasmus's spawn retaliated by blocking the staff and knocking it out of his hands, sending it spiraling into the large vats of glowing chemicals below. Robin retaliated by backing up and lunging in for a high kick.

Starfire was still held snuggly by the snake. The slimy thing wrapping itself in a coil on her head and squeezing itself into a ball exacerbated her struggles. Although she was able to break out after a minute, she found the main body perched on a filing cabinet and ready to strike. Beast Boy, Raven, and Windflyer were dragged in, all very slimy, and the Tamaranean's captor reformed by her feet. She recoiled in fright.

Back on the conveyor, Robin continued to fight the crab claw. He backed up a bit, trying to avoid his opponent's advance, but was felled and pinned down harshly. Struggling mightily to get out of the claw's grip, the Boy Wonder and his captor discovered they would soon reach the end of the belt and the vat of icky chemicals below. Robin's body was partially over the edge when he realized something; smiling wickedly, he took the slime monster in his free hand, flipped _it_ over instead, and-

_Whoops! _Miscalculated!

Now _he_ was going to go over too!

Thanks to his quick reflexes, the acrobat was able to cling on to a corner and save himself, but unfortunately the transport would not hold forever. It began to pull off of its hinges, the claw having grabbed his boot from underneath him and ripping at it powerfully. Robin strained and _strained_, but he was unable to beat the unstoppable force- the conveyor broke, and the Boy Wonder fell into the chemical bath with it-

* * *

Simon has allowed me to leave the premises. He says that the break-in by one Cinderblock and the loss of the prisoner 385901 (nicknamed "Plasmus") has proved a more pressing issue than the rogue alien from another world. A _serious_ issue, in fact. They've never lost a man before. Lewa and Tanika must have been _really_ unimportant so as to not get arrested.

Thing is… I'm not sure where I'll _go_. I don't know _anything_ here. I'm outside the jail at the moment, looking over some reconstruction that is supposed to be from the heist and the brightly lit city beyond, but it all seems so _alien_. Like me. Heh.

Simon says I might want to try getting shelter first, but I'm not so enthused. We Glatorian never really needed it since we were always fighting. I suppose things have changed now, but then again I've never been _too_ perceptive.

There's supposed to be a lively square downtown. Guess I'll check that out first.

* * *

Okay… I _lied!_

This isn't lively _at ALL!_

Yeah, it's loud and boisterous… but _people aren't causing it!_ Some weird _monster_ is! Must be Cinderblock. He didn't seem so hellbent on destruction from what _I _heard.

I pull out a long metal staff, which Simon has given me as a replacement for my daggers (they are apparently still an issue,) and jump in before it. Might not be as good of a weapon, but I'll take it. This guy could cause _trouble_.

He's not really interested in me, so I take advantage of this to give him a good hard _WHACK_. Doesn't seem to do any damage. His skin is solid _stone_; certainly lives up to the name.

I'm about to give this chucklehead an air blast to the head and show him I mean _business_ when somebody _else_ jumps in and begins taunting him. Hey… I _recognize_ this kid. Tall, well built, cyborg parts. Could pass as one of us if he wanted to.

Doesn't seem to recognize _me_, though. He's much too busy taking Cinderblock on. I decide to keep fighting as well, only stopping to take a breath. Things are intense.

* * *

After a while we have _finally_ managed to defeat the monster. It wasn't _that_ hard. Just needed a few good whacks where necessary.

Cyborg man takes the parts Cinderblock had been carrying and ties him up. I'm not sure why he would do it. Maybe it's supposed to be ironic? Then he turns to me and grins. I have to smile back.

"You the guy Windflyer kept talking about?" he asks.

_Windflyer?_

"I'm afraid… I don't _know_ a Windflyer."

The man frowns. "Your friend? The green guy? On the ship?"

"That's not very descriptive," I respond.

"Oh, okay." He starts to walk off, carrying Cinderblock with him. "Well, if you _do_ end up knowing him, give us a holler. Dude's been waiting _ages_ to hear from you."

"But I don't have a-"

Cyborg scoffs and throws me something. It registers in my hands, hard and metallic. _A communicator?_

I raise an eyebrow at the guy in confusion, but he only gives a thumbs up in return. "For when you need us! When there's trouble, call. Oh, by the way… nice prosthetics." Then he is gone.

I am dumbfounded. What _is_ this? A helpline? I cannot be sure. It seems helpful enough, so I will keep it.

As he leaves, I notice something on his coverings. His _robotic_ coverings, you pervert. Same as me.

It is a weird sort of inscription, although I am able to make it out… "STAR Labs." I have no idea what that means, but I must keep it in mind.

I turn on the communicator to see what Cyborg was talking about when I am all but _shocked. _He is in trouble. There seems to be a factory, and it is dangerous, and somebody is about to fall in…

* * *

Safety!

A familiar robotic arm reached down and held onto Robin's wrist tightly, watching as the claw was consumed by the chemicals and dissolved. The Boy Wonder looked up to see who had saved his life...

_Cyborg!_

He hoisted Robin onto the conveyor ahead of him, letting the hero take a moment to catch his breath. Then he smiled.

"I still got the sonic if _you_ still got the boom."

Robin was wont to smile back.

* * *

On the factory floor, Plasmus rebuilt himself. Calling the sludgy body parts back to him, he laughed wickedly. The Titans had been done away with. Slade would be happy. He just had to take them straight _to _him-

"_Yo, ROCKHEAD!_"

Oh, not _again!_

"You aren't getting away with this, Plasmus," Robin said as he and Cyborg jumped down and began encircling him."

But he was! The three were disposed off! What could _they_ do? The monster was just about to dispose of them too when-

"Teen Titans! _Go!_"

Once again the man and the robin ran towards him for a bit before moving apart and dashing up the walls. Then they jumped towards each other, Cyborg-brother's cannon warming up…

And _actually_ made the move.

By a stroke of luck, they did not get tangled; Robin hurled a blinking disk, while Cyborg fired off his cannon-

**_BOOOOOOOOOOOM!_**

Plasmus was no more.

At least for _now_, anyway.

What was left of him lay in puddles of the floor, piles of purple goop having been blown off to reveal what lay underneath. A small stocky man lay in them, snoring fitfully in his underwear. But he was asleep, and _that_ was all that mattered.

Beast Boy and Raven sat up out of the slime, giving each other confused looks. Starfire and Windflyer did likewise. It appeared Plasmus had managed to consume them- not a fate anyone wanted to share. Robin and Cyborg both looked at the man warily, blown away by the damage one frail person had managed to cause, then nodded. The robotic man called the police.

* * *

Outside, guards loaded the villain, contained in a new tank, into a truck for a return to the prison.

Robin looked at his boots. "Look," he said, "uh… sorry about…"

"Yeah."

"So…" he continued, "are we cool?"

Cyborg smiled and held up a fist. "Frosty."

As the two tapped fists, Robin smiled too.

Windflyer grinned. "Hey! Don't I get one too?"

"Sure, man, sure."

Starfire squealed in joy. "You made up! _Glorious!_" She clasped her hands. "I wish to initiate a group hug."

"Pass," Raven intoned.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Beast Boy said quickly. "Warm fuzzies all around. But we still gotta stop Cinderblock!"

"No we don't!" Cyborg smirked. "Thought I'd bring a present, 'case you were still _mad_."

He gestured behind Robin, the other Titans watching as Cinderblock was brought to the truck on a winch. The equipment he had been carrying for Slade was now tied to his body as a cuff of sorts. He grumbled in exasperation at his situation.

"Thanks!" Robin replied. He put a finger on his cheek. "Though… there _is_ one thing that's still bothering me."

The Titans paled, eyes widened in disbelief.

"Breaking into jail? Using Plasmus to distract us? I talked to Beast Boy _at_ _length _about Cinderblock. The whole plan seems to be a little _too_ smart for him."

"For me or for him?"

Cyborg chuckled. "For _him_, grass stain. And I've been thinking the same thing."

The Titans relaxed, Beast Boy, Windflyer, and Starfire exhaling in gratefulness.

"I _know_!" Windflyer said, waving his arms. "Someone's _gotta_ have been pulling the strings." He frowned. "Only question is… _who?_"

"Well, whoever they are…" Cyborg said, "They're no match for the Teen Titans."

He, Robin, and Windflyer traded a high five. "I heard that!" Robin said. The team then watched as lights shone beyond and the moon sat high in the sky.

* * *

A teacup and saucer lay empty on a table.

**_SMASH!_**

A teacup and saucer that had once been mint condition antiques now lay in pieces on the ground.

A shaking fist rose off the table. A pair of white-gloved hands, also shaking, reached down with a broom and dustpan to clean the mess up. Their holder sighed.

"Everything… _all right,_ sir?"

"No." Slade glared, voice raspy. "Everything is _not_ all right."

Wintergreen cleared out some more pieces and frowned. "But you know that the Titans will protect Robin now! Does that not make you _happy?_"

"Barely. I would've preferred them _here_. Although," Wilson said, eyebrow raised, "that _is_ a good point. We can capture the boy and use him as bait to take the others."

"How do you plan to do _that?_"

"_Definitely_ not with Plasmus or Cinderblock. They are a pain to work with. I will have to find _other_ options."

Wintergreen dumped the porcelain shards in a trashcan then reached into a pantry for a new cup. "Any suggestions, sir? I know the Joker would be happy to do it."

Slade growled. "_No. Not_ the Joker. But again, you are right. We need someone more relatable. More human. More… _teen_."

He turned to his butler. "Wintergreen. I have an assignment for you."

The man set down the cup on the arm of Slade's chair. "And what would _that_ be, sir?"

The assassin smiled. "The Academy."

A salute. "Right away, master!"

As Wintergreen got his things, went down the stairs, and left in the Toyota, Slade looked at the monitor. "Next time my plans will succeed." He narrowed his eye. "And the Titans will pay."

* * *

"This was _not_ one of your better plans, sister."

A cold wind nipped through Tahu's armour, teasing his organics. Packs of snow crunched under his feet. In the distance, a blizzard raged.

They had gone through the White Quartz Mountains.

"Trust me on this," Gali said. "This place is one of the chilliest on the planet. I'm _sure _our icy brother will have come here."

"_Here?_" Tahu scoffed, tensing. "This is _torture!_"

"Torture in only the most _literal_ of senses," Onua said. "He can handle it."

Tahu pouted. "Okay, then. Why haven't we _found_ him?"

"Kopaka said he wanted to be alone for a while. Away from _you_, I gather; I cannot fault him to an extent."

"Oh…" The Toa of Fire sighed. "All _right_. I guess this _is_ kind of my fault. How much farther until we get _out_ of this place?"

Onua reached into his pack and pulled out an old map. It had stood the test of time, paper yellowed, torn, and curled in places but still able to be read fairly easily. On it, one could learn the ways of getting around the different villages (_unthinkable_ a few millennia ago, but all the rage as of now.) According to the one he held, once used by Ackar, the White Quartz Pass was a _huge_ trading route that connected Atero to the Northern Region- and if Spherus Magna was as huge as he _thought_ it was-

"A _very_ long time," he finished.

Tahu growled. "We don't _have_ the time! _Spirits_ only know where the Gordanians have gone!"

"Tahu, _hush_."

"Don't '_hush'_ me," Tahu said, pushing her away. "I have _every_ right…"

Gali frowned. "Every right to _what_, brother?"

He pointed in the distance. Something seemed to have caught his attention, and after a moment, Onua's as well. Curious by her brother's finding Gali switched to her Akaku. It had been a while since she had used it, but the Toa was a fast learner-

"_Mata Nui!_"

It was a foot. An _orange_ foot.

* * *

Not much to say here so I'll let this chapter speak for itself.

1. Gresh has a way to contact Lewa now. Expect that to pop up in the future.

2. More interstitial!

3. Don't worry. Whoever that foot belongs to is _not_ dead. Comic books.

The _Sisters_ adaption is up next! Oh, just a note: This was the last chapter I had prewritten. Every one from now on is being done in real time, so expect updates to come a _bit_ slower (**_probably_** a chapter a day.) Hey, them's the breaks. *shrugs*

Read and review, as always!


	31. Sisters I

_(A/N: I'm switching to first-person over here, just to see how it works. For Lewa, that is. If it flows really nicely I'll consider rewriting his other personal scenes as well.)_

I sat on the edge of my bed, throwing a ball. Beside me, a slice of pizzuh lay half-eaten. I wasn't too hungry. Not that I'd lost my appetite or anything. At the moment I felt pretty full.

It was just…

Okay. Look.

You've probably heard about the whole debacle at the chemical factory; how Plasmus kept messing everything up and how _we_ almost lost a member. That's _part_ of the problem, but… it's actually more than that.

I'm afraid.

I launched the rubbery sphere against the wall one more time, attempting to get as hard of a _thwack_ on it as I could without stressing Raven. It's _weird_. The girl _obviously_ seems to want some attention, but she keeps locking herself in _her_ _room_ all the time! I… I know; I'm not one to judge. Look at me, talking to someone like a cross-wired lunatic.

See, the whole thing with the Nuva… was basically that I hesitated. In the heat of the moment (brought that up before, but whatever.) I could have just conceded to Tahu and let the whole thing be done with. But NOOOOO. I _had_ to try and be a hero! I'm such a _doofus_.

What does this have to do in the context of the Titans, you ask? Simple. Same thing.

I can't let myself get _too_ close to them. Stupid, yeah, but I don't want them to get hurt. I care for them a lot; they're my first real friends (Kiina and Gresh… yeah) and I wouldn't enjoy seeing them in exactly the same situation I was in. Ugh, I _hate_ my life.

At least my room wasn't too bad. Robin allowed us to decorate it however we liked. Said it was supposed to remind us of home; whatever home some of us _had_, anyway.

I haven't… hadn't… _haven't_ seen most of 'em yet, but the ones I have are pretty spectacular to say the least. Beast Boy's is… bleh. I'm not going to talk about his. Cyborg's is all flashy and high techy. It's got all sorts of weird gizmos and things. Would make Nuparu-brother proud. Starfire's is Starfire. Pink and glittery and fluffy. She's even got a giant teddy bear sitting on her bed. I have NO idea where she got that! (Not that I should tell you why I brought it up…)

As for mine?

Well… let me just tell you that it's basically Le-Koro.

When we went down to the hardware store to get paint, I decided to pick up a can of something called "Jungle Breeze". The shade is nearly the same as the one I'd used in my hut (moreso on Mata Nui and Metru Nui than on Spherus Magna.) Of course, by the time we were done it had looked more like the Fau Swamp than the musician's hall, but… I digress. Least we learned not to go out like that as a group.

Once I had doused the drab grey walls with a deep green, I flew over to the park to get some wood and branches. Let me tell you, some of these surfaces are _really REALLY_ tall. Like seriously. They match Turaga Matau's hut for their sheer verticalness. It's amazing. Of course, my first line of thought was to ruin this by covering them in something that reminded me of home… was surprised to find that worked. Things look much more comfortable than they used too.

I later added to the décor by buying a sleek wooden desk, some bookshelves, a few beanbags, and a hammock…

And voila! You have my room!

Of course there isn't a pile of memorabilia yet. Rest assured there will be.

I sighed, reached over to my bedside table, and grabbed the pizzuh. Cyborg keeps _insisting _it's "pizza", but who am I to believe him? I don't know this language. Raven taught it to me.

In fact, I'm still learning a bit. Apparently her spell messed with the part of my brain that enables me to speak to allow me to understand English. Which is cool, but _apparently_ it doesn't _like _that. Great Being tech. Go figure.

Pizzuh slices are a bit hard to absorb, and have a weird energy trace that feels like sandpaper through my body, but I get them in okay. They're nice nonetheless. Satisfied with myself, I levitated the ball over to me and prepared to jump off the bed-

_**WHAM!**_

"Friend, what is this?"

Wait… what is this? What is _what?_ Starfire just randomly broke into my room, but I wasn't sure what she wanted. It's like she has even _worse_ of a problem with Earth than _I _do.

She floated up to my bed, carrying a small slip of paper in one hand and a wet towel in the other. Must have just taken a shower- and sure enough, my prediction was soon proved right. She sat down beside me, hair lightly brushing my mask, and smiled.

"What do you mean, 'what is this'?" I replied, glancing down. "Looks just like another bill to me."

Robin has been getting a lot of bills. Many from one Batman. That's all you need to know.

"I had expected that too, but it appears that is not a case. There are some words here that confuse me, and I hope you will be the able to decode them."

I frowned. Decoding's never been my strong point, but this thing looked fine to me. Unless…

She couldn't understand it. I nodded knowingly and switched to my Rau. The procedure would be useless, but I supposed it was a learning experience.

The words jumbled around like mush for a bit before reforming as Matoran glyphs. Now it was a bit easier to make out, and I was able to figure out her issue…

"_Come one, come all to the Baker Brothers Carnival!_

_For three nights only, you can experience the sights, sound, and joy of the circus right in your very own town._

_Featuring rides, a zoo, good food, and even a dazzling fireworks show!_

_It's bound to be fun for the entire family._

_From July 3-5_

_134 Lobdell Queensway | Jump, CA | 555-BAKE |"_

_Oh!_ _A carnival! Now_ I understood what she was asking about…

Wait. What's a carnival?

I simply shrugged. "I _think_ it's a festival. We used to have loads of those back in Le-Koro."

"Then you will be able to tell me whether it is the fun or not?"

I froze, then paled. "Uh… Maybe we should go and ask Robin."

Robin was in his room, doing a bit of research on Cinderblock. I've never actually _been_ in it, so it was nice to see what it was like… and it was pretty plain. The walls had been painted a dark black, a counter ringed around them. Books lay on top of them. I didn't see a bed. He must have been sleeping somewhere else.

The only interesting things he had were pictures, and he had a _lot_ of them. Many were newspaper clippings, seemingly from fights he had had before. I don't know. I considered switching to the Akaku, just to see what they were, but stopped because that would be rude. He has his secrets. I have mine.

He wasn't very happy to see us, though I can't exactly blame him. Fighting Plasmus was taxing, and he's been spending a lot of time trying to figure out who set Cinderblock up. Poor guy. This whole thing has _really_ got to him.

Starfire rushed up to him and hugged him. He instantly suffered under the pain. It's almost like she _wants_ people to be crushed.

"Nice… to see you too, Star," Robin wheezed.

"It is the nice to see you- Oh!" Starfire blushed and let go. "Sorry. I did not do the realizing." She gestured to me to pull something out- the paper. I nodded and put it into view.

Robin frowned. "What's this supposed to be?"

"Apparently a festival," I replied. "Starfire wanted to know if it would be fun."

"The _carnival?_" He smirked. "Of _course_ those things are fun! Thanks for digging that out, Starfire. I'd _wanted_ to see what was happening in the city." The Toa sighed. "Stupid bills," he muttered under his breath. "Come on. We _have_ to show the others."

The others weren't doing much. Beast Boy and Cyborg fought over dinner (if you remember the fight at the pizzuh place, their arguments're usually exactly the same) and Raven was meditating. When us three came in, she sighed in relief and walked over to us.

"What _is _that?" she intoned monotonically.

Starfire frowned. "Um… I _believe_ it is the carnival…"

Raven raised an eyebrow. "The carnival?"

I smiled. "A huge festival! It's apparently really fun!"

"And I care because…"

Robin beamed. "Don't you _realize,_ Raven? It's the Baker Brothers Carnival! These things only head into town once a season! I've _always_ wanted to go to one!"

The witch sighed again. "Couldn't go in Gotham?"

He laughed sheepishly, ruffling his hair. "Batman is kind of against fun."

"Ah. Okay. Have fun then," she said, returning to her meditating.

"_Wait!_" Starfire shouted. "Are you not the coming?"

"Carnivals aren't my thing."

"But-" She pouted. "I had thought everyone would want to see…"

"See WHAT?" Cyborg shouted.

"The 'carnival'!"

"The _carnival?_ _Dude!_" Beast Boy grinned. "I'm _totally_ game for one!"

Cyborg sighed. "Guess I'm up for one too." He turned to Beast Boy. "But I _swear_, grass stain, you'd BETTER not complain about all the corndog stand's they're just…" The man began to drool, talking hypnotically. "_Bound _to have…"

A quick slap from Raven restored him to his senses. "Control yourself."

"But my-"

"I can feel your lust for them from _THIS SIDE of the room!_"

"Oh. Sorry 'bout that."

"If it makes you feel any better, Cyborg," Beast Boy said with a sly smile, "I don't plan to." He pointed to the witch. "_I'm_ gonna be busy winning _Raven_ here a plushie."

"Why?"

Raven glowered. "Because he's an idiot."

"I am _not!_"

"Yeeahhh." She smiled. "Sure. I'll come. Just as long as I stay away from _him_."

Beast Boy pouted. "How come?"

"Don't want anything."

"Buh-buh-but…"

Cyborg patted Raven on the shoulder. "Stay cool, Rae. You'll be _fine._"

She sighed one more time. "Yeah," she said sardonically. "I _hope_."

* * *

Another hole tore through the fabric of subspace.

A motorcycle, a potted plant, and a whale popped out.

The recipients were invisible.

A sigh. "_NOW _are we there yet?"

"No. Sorry. Hey, look at that!"

"Look at WHAT?" The plant began to shake. "A NYAN CAT?"

"Dude, I _hate_ those things."

"That's not what you said a millennium from now…"

"Ugh. Shut up. In front of you!"

Sure enough, something was happening. Or at least it appeared to be.

At first there was darkness and blankness- then, right before their eyes, a distant flash of light came into being. Four glowing objects appeared, racing towards them.

"Uh…" The motorcycle revved. "Do you think we should follow those guys?"

"Stay put. We don't wanna ruin things _too_ much."

"But look- they're headed straight for-"

_WHOOSH._

As they zoomed towards a nearby planet- _Earth!_ three peeled out of the formation while one continued on. The objects were now able to get a better view of the chaser; it seemed to be a robot, long and cylindrical like a missile, glowing brightly, and donning several tentacles on its end that each made wet _thwip_ noises.

The whale groaned, releasing a sad song into the cosmos. Then it puffed. "Ah, don't worry. Probably just some alien probes. They won't harm anything."

"They're _aliens!_"

"Yeah. But we don't even know where they're _from_. Just sit back and-"

"TAKE US BACK INTO SUBSPACE!"

"Seriously? You don't wanna see this?"

"Not as a _plant!_"

"I dunno- it doesn't seem _too_ bad-"

"_Lobo!_"

"Alright, if you say so." The whale sighed again. "Personally, I wasn't too fond of the setup in the first place. Probably catered to someone's transformation fetish." Then they were off.

The alien probes cruised through the fabric of space. They had been assigned to Galaxy Sector 2814 on an important mission. One creature led the others.

"_Men_," he radioed.

"_Uh, yes, this is Centauri-5, call sign 'Vega', over._"

"_Centauri-16, 'Helios', reporting for duty._"

"_This is 'Libra', Centauri-98!"_

_ "Centauri-1483902234809 here! But you can call me 'Jenny'. Hehehehehehehehehe-_"

"_Cadet!_"

"_Oh. Right. Sorry._"

A sigh. The big blue planet, known officially as Terra but called Earth by many, appeared before him; green plains, massive mountains, giant rivers, and all. It was truly vast, and definitely beautiful. If he were not here on business, he would have liked to visit further.

"_The Tamaranean in your sights?_"

"_Komand'r?_"

"_Uh, yeah, sir, I think you meant Empress Komand'r._"

"_That title never stuck for long. It's just Princess Komand'r now. But yes… you are right. Any sign of her?_"

"_Not on my watch…_"

"_Nothing here!_"

"_I don't- ugh. You know, Skorge, you __**really**__ could've benefitted from bringing more rookies here._"

"_**Less**__ rookies, you mean."_

"_Yes. Sorry, sir. I- OH, GOD!_"

"_What is it, Vega?_"

"_Xaz? You okay?_"

"_Please don't be-"_

"_It's fine! It's fine! I just- I think I've found her!_"

The ships shook.

"_You WHAT?_"

"_Seriously?_"

"_Yay-_"

"_Yeah, she's down there somewhere! Some kind of city! Do you think I should-"_

_ "No messing around, cadet! GO, GO, GO!_"

"_On it, sir!_"

As the lone probe flew down to Earth, Deputy Superintendent Qarvasse Mortenze sighed. It was going to be a _long_ night.

* * *

The Baker Brothers Carnival was in full swing. Contrary to most seedy family organizations, this one had actually been _quite_ honest: rides of all kinds had been set up, boardwalk games littered the Queensway, and a troupe performed in a large tent. On the waterfront, Windflyer, Starfire, and Robin were riding the giant Ferris wheel, sitting back and enjoying the moonlit sky.

A fireworks show was in full swing. As the three watched, blackness was briefly brightened by a variety of coloured contraptions; after a series of heart-shaped fizzlers, each with its own distinctive noise, a flaming rocket disappeared over the horizon. Starfire sighed in bliss.

"_Beautiful_," she said. "Tell me again what they are called."

"Fireworks," Robin replied as a few more exploded. He looked up at Windflyer, who was in the car above them. "Not thinking of taking the Sky Scraper _now_, are you?"

The Toa scoffed. "No _way_, brother! These are _amazing!_ Although," he mused, hand on his mask, "it _would've_ been pretty cool to go down that drop as a large _boom_er comes in-"

"_Please_ do not remind me! Um… Robin. On my planet, such explosions would mean the Gordanians were attacking. You are _certain_ Earth is not under attack?"

"Positive." He smiled, holding out a pink fluffy cloud. "Cotton candy?"

Starfire turned green a bit. "The _last_ time I ate a ball of cotton, it was white." She covered her mouth, quivering. "And it did not taste very-"

"_Try some!_" Windflyer yelled from above, brandishing his nearly finished stick. "It's good!"

"Yeah," Robin added. "This is different."

The Boy Wonder pulled a small glob off of his stick; cotton rustling softly as he did so. Then he popped it into his mouth, the Tamaranean soon being induced to nervously do the same to hers. Her fears disappeared once she took in its taste.

"Mmmm… _Hey!_ It vanished!"

Robin chuckled. "It'll do that."

"Why do you think_, _Boy Wonder?" A bare stick was dangled over his head. "There something suspicious in this concoction?"

"Not at _all_, Fly. It's just corn starch."

"Riiiiiiight."

Starfire sighed again, gazing at the fireworks. "When we first came to this planet, I did not think I would ever fit in."

Windflyer frowned. "Really? Reminds me of home. The architecture and city life is all the same. Which _also_ reminds me… we used to have these kinds of festivals down in Le-Metru. For celebrating the end of a work year, I think. I wasn't ever there to judge. They were supposed to be _really_ grand." He exhaled and propped his chin on the lap bar. "What I wouldn't give to be back in the City of Legends again."

"Yes," Starfire replied, beaming. "For _you_, maybe. For me, Earth was _full_ of strange things. But now I see that-"

_BOOOM!_

A bright white glare blinded the lot of them.

"Here comes the finale! _Yes!_"

So it had. More and more fireworks were sent into the sky, the patchwork fabric constantly flashing with loud explosions. Rainbow-tinged aftertastes kept the crowd entertained while smoke dissipated into the harbor (that was a problem not many liked to talk about.)

"Whoo-hoo-hoo!" Robin whooped. "_Amazing!_"

"Earth is full of amazing things too," Starfire finished with a smile.

"Can't argue with _that_," Windflyer grinned.

"Best planet I've ever been to."

"_Really?_" Lewa glared at the hero. "You worked with _Batman_. I don't think he travels into space often-"

_**WHOOOOSH!**_

Suddenly, a strange craft _swooped_ in and _grabbed_ Starfire from her seat with some strange metal tentacles. As it carried her into the night sky, still trembling from the afterglow of the fireworks, she SCREAMED.

"STARFIRE!"

"_Sister!_"

* * *

_(A/N: Another viewpoint experiment. Sorry.)_

"Kiina, awaken."

Someone is calling for you.

You are not sure whom. But he seems important. Somehow.

You open your eyes.

In front of you is a man. An old one for sure, his remaining hair greyed, a giant bald spot taking up the majority of his head, and his skin wrinkled with time. It is a wonder he is even _talking_ to you right now; yet there he is. Magic must be involved.

You do not know whether to give him leeway or just smack him and run the heck out of here. He _seems_ friendly enough; yet…

Something bothers you about him. Exactly _what_ you do not know.

The man smiles from ear to ear. (More like pigtail to pigtail in your eyes.) "Good. I see you are performing as intended."

Performing as to…

"What?"

"Nothing that should concern you." He frowns and walks over to you, putting a hand on your shoulder. "I am only happy to see you are awake."

"Oh," you say. "But… why am I here?"

"Simple," he replies. "You have been selected to become a student at the HIVE Academy."

"H… HIVE?" You frown. That wasn't something you knew of before. But somehow now you do.

"The Hierarchy of International Vengeance and Extermination Academy for Extraordinary Young People." The man chuckles at the absurdity of the acronym. "Or the HIVEAEYP for short," he clarifies.

That is _interesting._ You have _never_ gone to school before. Glatorian duties never rendered it necessary; the most comprehensive education you received was training at the Glatorian Academy. Actually, you find this kind of funny… the _Glatorian Academy_, and now the _HIVE Academy_. Is there somehow a parallel?

You smile a bit. He notices and holds out a hand. "I suppose I should introduce myself. I am Brother Blood, the school's principal. And a part-time welcoming brigade," he says, producing a small paper. You squint in an attempt to read it.

"What… is _that_ supposed to be?" you ask futilely, hand still clasped in his.

"Your papers. You'll need them to get around for a while."

Oh. But you had never intended to _stay_ here…

Somehow Brother Blood notices your concern, because he then withdraws from your harsh grip, shake his spindly fingers a bit, and gives the paper to you. "No need to worry. This isn't a _punishment_ or anything. We merely recognize your potential in villainy and wish to cultivate it…" he chuckles, "or if you prefer, we _could_ very well just…"

You grin sheepishly, hang your head. "No, no. That's fine. I just… I don't _get_ it. I rem… recall… floating in the ocean… and now I'm _here?_ _Why?_ Shouldn't you have left me for dead?"

Brother Blood claps you on your back. "_Nonsense, _my dear! That would be _rude!_ Certainly not the kind of thing a _villain_ does-"

"But I AM a villain. Or so you tell me."

"Ah, yes, of course." He sees you not reading the paper and gently takes it back, producing a tiny rustle. "Which reminds me- I should get you trained."

But don't you already _know_ how to-

"Fight? Yes. We only need to refine your style, is all."

Okay this is getting _creepy_. How does he _always_ seem to know what you're thinking? It makes you think he's somehow an evil eldritch god, or something. Like Annona or Tren Krom. Oh gods what if he _is_ Annona coming over to screw your mind

"_Calm_ yourself, Kiina! I shall do NO such thing. Come," Brother Blood finishes morosely, gesturing towards a door, "We must begin at once. Time waits for no one, you see-"

_WHOOSH!_

He does not take to the sudden intrusion very kindly.

* * *

The alien probe continued to fly over the city, blazing over the carnival and towards the open ocean. Starfire continued to struggle in the grip of its tentacles.

"Wherever you are taking me," she screeched, "I do _NOT_ wish to go!"

To stop herself from going, she fired a starbolt at the area where the tentacles connected to the main ship, the craft immediately stopping. Electrical wires began sparking from the sheer energy of her attack; aided by this immobility, Starfire quickly freed herself and fled. Despite being handicapped, the probe continued to follow her.

Meanwhile, the boardwalk continued unabated. Many of the games provided had become _especially_ popular this year, and none more so than the ring toss. A depressed employee watched as a ring was flung towards the pyramid of bottles for the thousandth time, hit the neck of a bottle-clattered meekly to the floor. Then crossed his fingers as another made an attempt…

_CRASH!_

And _FINALLY_ made their mark. No, seriously, the person who'd been trying had been at this _forever_. The bottles hitting the floor, becoming one with the field of glass pieces that had scattered this booth, the clerk sighed and pointed towards the shelf of plushies that had been laid out. When one was gestured to, he growled and turned to the winner exasperatedly.

"_Here!_ _**HERE'S**__ YOUR PRIZE!_"

A laugh. "Gee, thanks! I dunno why you have to be so _rude_ about it, though…"

"Gee, I _dunno_… Maybe it's because I've had to deal with your f***ing _screeching_ over veganism _way_ too many times to count?"

"_Hey! _I don't _screech_- Oh." The winner chuckled nervously. "Huh. I _guess_ you're kinda right. Sorry 'bout that, dude."

The clerk sighed in relief, reaching up to the shelf. "Apology _accepted_." You guys _want_ the chicken, right?"

"Eeyup!"

"Take it."

A giant plush chicken was thrust into Cyborg and Beast Boy's hands.

"Booyah!"

"_Sweet!_"

The two high fived. Besides them, Raven leaned against the wooden post, crossing her arms, and continued to show her exasperation at the whole ordeal.

"_Told _you we'd win her a prize," Beast Boy said, giving the plushie to her.

"A _giant_ _chicken_," she rasped irately, giving him the evil eye back. "I must be the _luckiest_ girl in the _world_."

Beast Boy opened his mouth to confirm this, but was thankfully interrupted as Robin and Windflyer landed on the deck nearby.

Robin got out of his crouch and scowled. "Titans! Trouble!"

Cyborg frowned. "Where's Starfire?"

"That's… the trouble," Windflyer said, pained look on his face.

The Titans ran off, Raven tossing the chicken away in disgust. (Not to worry. A familiar friend later found it.) As they reached the end of the pier, they were shocked to find a bright fiery object race towards the water over the bay and suddenly pull up, leaving a broad wake as it skimmed the surface. It was Starfire, the ship hot on her tail. The probe continued to give her a hard time; she looked back over her shoulder and gasped as she found a tentacle coming for her, flash stepping to avoid it. The girl rolled onto her back and tossed a couple more starbolts at its nose, neither of which had any effect.

Starfire winced and continued to fly right side up. "No more chasing now, please!"

She shot off like a cork at a ship christening and angled herself towards the pier, herself and the craft flying straight through the Titans.

Beast Boy raised an eyebrow. "Who's her new best friend?"

"Don't know," Robin said, turning to Windflyer.

The Toa moaned vacantly. "I have no clue," he said, staring at the lightshow blankly.

"But I can't _wait_ to meet him!" Robin finished, socking his palm with a fist.

The chase continued over the fairgrounds for a bit before stopping after the Ferris wheel and turning around. Starfire flew towards the Titans and stopped beside them; the ship kept going. Beast Boy took to it first, jumping up high and turning into an alligator to take out its tentacle bases- he only _barely_ missed. Raven brought up a hot dog stand that Cyborg had ravaged and flung it at the craft with all her might; this was unsuccessful as well, as it only crashed through it like a knife to butter. Windflyer tried flying up to the tentacles to take them out with his katana, but they were too fast for him and a use of the Kakama proved useless as he found it hard to multitask. Finally, Cyborg took to the stage; as the ship raced past him, he grabbed onto the tentacles and began _pulling_ at them; it was left unable to rise, but continued to glide forward for a few feet before finally stopping.

He panted with exhaustion. "Don't know what you did to make this thing mad, Star…" the ship began to move again, "but it couldn't hurt to apologize!"

She frowned. "I am… sorry?"

No use. Soon the tentacles _yanked_ themselves from Cyborg's iron grip and the ship tried to flee. Robin retaliated by pulling out his bo staff, extending it, and took to the craft; with a mighty _TWANG_, one swing sent it reeling back over the guardrails and into the water (mighty _SPLASH_ included.)

Beast Boy, now human again, looked on in bewilderment. "So… did we just win?"

Windflyer paused. "Uh-"

_SMASH!_

"Guess not!"

The thing had broken through the planks that the Titans stood on, still deadset on capturing Starfire. Robin growled and jumped onto its nose, Windflyer flying after him.

The Boy Wonder looked at the stainless steel surface and growled. Nothing useful. "Don't see an OFF switch. Guess I'll have to MAKE one!"

He pulled a fist back and _smashed_ through the plating, reaching into the machinery underneath and pulling out a handful of wires. The probe sparked, veering around erratically, centre of control seemingly damaged; and began to rise into the sky. Robin had the good sense to jump off as soon as it did, but Windflyer was left on, and he clung to it as it reached into the stratosphere, high above the clouds-

_**BOOOOOOOM!**_

And exploded in a dramatic burst of fire, wisps of flame and smoke adding to the fireworks show that had still been going on despite this. Did we mention that the fireworks show had still been going on?

Robin landed next to Starfire and smiled grimly. "Whatever that thing was-"

"AAAAAH!"

"It can't hurt you now."

Starfire puckered her lips in concentration. "But…"

"GANGWAY!"

"But…"

"I'M GOING TO FALL!"

"But-"

_WHUMP!_

"Oh! Greetings, Windflyer. It is a good thing I was able to catch you. But why did it wish to hurt me _at_ _all?_"

* * *

"_Xaz?_"

"_Centauri-5, you copy?_"

"_C'mon,_ _man, don't __**die **__on us!"_

"_I wouldn't want you to-"_

"_Guys."_

"_Leave us forever! That would be HORRIBLE-"_

"_**GUYS!**__ I'm __**okay!**__"_

"_What?_"

"_Phew! Glad you weren't __**murdered.**_"

"_I'm happy for ya, buddy._"

"_Yeah, I'm happy too. But that explosion WASN'T my fault._"

"_Really, cadet? __**Really?**__"_

"_Would I ever let you down?_"

"_He's right, sir. This is a certified Level 10 fighter pilot. He wouldn't be __**that**__ stupid."_

"_Then who could've CRASHED the thing? Aliens? Pixies? Mutant were-goblins?_"

"_That actually seems fairly possible…_"

"_Suuuuuure. All the same, though, SOMETHING did this. Learn anything interesting while you were down there?_"

"_Well… there was a team of __**mutants**__ protecting her!_"

"_Mutants?"_

"_SERIOUSLY?_"

"_Does a bear-"_

"_Okay! Okay! ENOUGH! I get it… so there __**are**__ some goons attracted by her schemes. Cool. How do we stop 'em?_"

"_I think we might need to send for more help. They were pretty damn powerful._"

"_**No,**__ cadet. I got the elite team and the elite team __**only**__. We gotta do this ourselves._"

"_Alright, so… where can we start? I'm kind of stranded here…_"

"_WHERE?_"

"_Please be with were-goblins! **Please** be with were-goblins!_"

"_Sorry, Jenny. No were-goblins here. But… I'm afraid I've encountered MUCH worse._"

"_What could be worse than __**were-goblins**_**?**"

Xaz had parachuted down to earth after his ship exploded, but found himself drifting into the ocean. There he found out the horrors of killer whales. They were much, much worse than were-goblins. As the team later learned, he'd earned the scars to prove it.

* * *

Aaand we're back! _That _was a bit of a break. Got dragged off to go skiing. Sorry. Will be a bit more regular from now on.

1. Another prelude. This one is a bit more convoluted, but should hopefully still slot into canon. It also hopefully makes for some nice slice of life. God knows we didn't see enough of _that_.

2. Is it a bit too _soon_ to introduce Brother Blood? He's got a pretty big role in the story and I figured I should explain some of it a bit. Also poor sweet precious Kiina yada yada yada.

3. Self-insert returns! I don't know why he's here. Probably doing this as a summer job or something.

4. This script was _WAY_ too confusing to adapt. I don't know if that's my fault or the writer's, but jeez louise there was a LOT of stuff in there. I'm not sure if I need to cut it down or not. (Act Two seems to be a lot simpler, though. Maybe I'll be proved wrong.)

5. The police probes get a bit more explained! I didn't give them as much backstory as the Gordanians because in the grand scheme of things they don't seem as important. Is that bad? (Ooh that was a nice blow for them there wasn't it?)

Read and review!


	32. Sisters II

Back at Titans Tower, the team returned. Starfire was ecstatic about her lucky break- the other Titans, not so much. As the door to the Ops Centre opened she squealed in delight and waltzed in. Nobody accompanied her.

"Come, friends." she called, clasping her hands together. "I shall _thank_ you for my rescue by reciting the Poem of Gratitude- _all_ six thousand verses!"

For a moment, nobody could move a muscle. Then a burnt and bruised

Windflyer raised a badly charred finger.

"Six… _thousand_?" he rasped.

"Yes, six thousand! You shall get the brunt of them for the courage you showed in dismantling the craft."

Windflyer coughed, spewing ash and remnants of metal everywhere. "Thanks, but… I'm not really interested in listening to such a long poem… and I'm one to talk-"

"I see you haven't changed a bit."

This was new. An unfamiliar person had reached the Tower before them, and now she made herself known. Her voice was like eating red velvet chocolate cake- young, female, smooth, and with a sultry tone that always made you unsure if you were being mocked or not. A teasing smile lay ready to jump off her lips. She looked almost _exactly_ like Starfire- she even wore the same outfit she had been wearing when she met Windflyer. Her figure looked a lot better though- taller, more rounded, and probably older- though Starfire probably would have the same when she had a few more years on her. Her eyes were narrower and had an icy blue sheen- there was, surprisingly, no secondary tone in the humour. In fact, besides those differences, the only thing that told the two apart was their palette; while Starfire's was purple and orange, the woman's took on a metallic and black tone. If the Toa hadn't been well-versed in the culture of Tamaran, he would've sworn that _this_ was Starfire and that the person beside him was her sister.

The mysterious lady jumped off of the couch, which she had been leaning on since they came in. She grinned. "When we were little, I was _always_ rescuing Starfire."

"_SISTER!_"

Called it.

The two leaped into each other's arms, the elder laughing as Starfire squealed and ran over to hug her. She held up a silky string, upon which a large translucent green gem was held. Starfire gasped upon noticing it, eyes widening as she took in its octagonal shape and numerous facets.

"Brought you a present," Starfire's sister said.

"A _Centauri moon diamond_?" Starfire looked up at her, eyes narrowed expectantly. "Where did you get-"

"On the Centauri moons, of course." She laughed again and fastened it around her sister's neck. "Oh look, it matches your eyes!"

Starfire beamed and went into a sort of trance. She must have been imagining what she was going to do with the diamond- petting it? Playing with it? Windflyer wasn't sure. That girl didn't have everything together.

"You _must_ meet my friends!" Starfire yelled, snapping out of her daydream and dragging her sister across the Ops Centre before she could object. Now the elder Tamaranean stood before the Titans, and the Toa was able to take in her aura from up close. He had to admit- while he hadn't really had any romantic tinglings since he'd come here; the girl was pretty damn _stunning_. (And that meant a lot- Lewa'd been very much infatuated with Onua, and the Toa of Earth wasn't much to look at. Literally.)

Starfire smiled. "I wish to introduce my big sister."

Windflyer waved weakly. "Um- hello-hi-"

"Blackfire." Starfire flinched at her straightforwardness- it seemed she found it a bit concerning. "And since Star told me all about the Titans in her transmissions, lemme guess…"

Blackfire pointed to a random team member. "Cyborg."

He held out a hand. "Pleased to meet you, little lady."

She took it and shook harshly, the robotic man being surprised to find that her grip had been hard enough to slightly damage his armour and temporarily squeeze his fingers out of alignment.

Cyborg frowned. "Little lady, big handshake," he muttered. He shrugged. "Well, all right."

Blackfire smiled and turned to- "Raven. _Love_ that gemstone on your Ajna chakra."

The witch was, shockingly enough, _impressed_. "You… know about chakras?"

"I got _way_ into meditation on Altara Prime," Starfire's sister replied. Next she came to…

"_Beast Boy_!" Blackfire grinned, giving him a fakeout high five before surprising him with a real one. "What's up?"

"Nothing but the ceiling, baby."

She _laughed_. "Good one!"

Beast Boy grinned in return, gave her a high five back and turned to Raven. "_See?_" he whispered discretely. "She thinks I'm _funny!_"

Raven sighed. "Statistically, I suppose _someone_ has to."

Beast Boy deflated a bit while Blackfire came to Windflyer. "I don't even need to _guess_ here," she cooed. "You guys are, like… _famous_!"

He raised a mask ridge. "You… _know_ of me?"

"Are you _kidding _me? Of COURSE I do, you butt! You're Lewa freakin' Nuva!"

The Toa sighed a bit and looked away. "Well… it's not really 'Lewa freakin' Nuva' _now_…"

"Who _cares_? I think you're amazinganyways!You beat up a shadow demon! Saved the world! Fought out of mind control like _three_ times! Plus you're adorable!"

"I am?"

"Ugh, _psh_. I think everyone in the Lewa Fan Club can agree on _that_."

Windflyer was admittedly shocked at Blackfire's admiration of him, but _that_ revelation was even MORE of a bombshell. He had a _fan club?_ People LIKED him? His jaw hung open more than the Great Beings built it to. "H… how…"

She smiled at his shock and held up a fist. "News travels fast in the Solis Galaxy. _Great_ job beating Marendar, by the way."

Although Lewa returned the fist, he did not put much vigour into it; no, he was so surprised by this that the fact that Blackfire may have broken his bones did not register. The Tamaranean chuckled.

"And _you_ must be Robin," she said, finally turning to him. Starfire's sister blipped behind the Boy Wonder before he even had a chance to react. His cape began billowing as she played with it. "Oh, I am _loving_ this cape. It's positively _luscious!_"

Robin smiled. "Thanks! It's a high-density polymerized titanium, _ten_ _times_ stronger than steel."

"Fascinating."

He looked at her appreciatively over his shoulder. As she noticed this, Starfire gasped. This should _not_ have been happening. Robin was _HERS!_

Blackfire continued to mess with Robin's cape and leaned in closer. "And this mask makes you look _ever_ so mysterious," she breathed, brushing her fingers across his skin and causing him to blush. "I think I might as well-"

"So, _beloved sister_, what brings you to Earth?"

Starfire had come in and inserted herself between them, ending the admittedly very sexual exchange. The elder Tamaranean sighed and exiled herself to the couch. "I was in the quadrant," she said, leaping over the back and taking a seat. "Thought I'd see if Earthlings like to party. 'Sides, I _needed_ a rest. Nearly got sucked into a _black hole_ on the way here…"

"Black_ hole?_"

"No _way!_"

"_What_."

"Cool!"

Windflyer noticed the boys' departure to the couch and frowned. "_How_ did you-"

Blackfire smirked. "Okay," she said, holding up her hands to illustrate. "So I'm cruising through the Draconis Nebula, and-"

"_Sister!_ That nebula is _full_ of black holes! You _KNOW_ travel there is forbidden.

Nobody knew how to respond, not even Blackfire. Not even RAVEN, for that matter. Everyone looked at Starfire funnily.

"_Most_ fun things in life are," deadpanned Blackfire, head propped on the board of the couch. "Now be a sweetie and bring me one of those 'sodas' I've heard so much about." She turned back to the boys. "Aaanyway, I'm zooming over an event horizon, approaching light speed, when all of a sudden…"

Starfire did not care to listen more. She walked towards the kitchen, leaning down to the area underneath the counter and pulling open the door of a small fridge.

"Starfire-"

"Sister, are you alright?"

"Oh, I am _quite_ alright," Starfire growled disgruntledly, looking into the fridge and grabbing a can of soda from the top shelf. "I merely see _she_ has not changed either."

* * *

Back in deep space, the alien probes streaked through the stars. They eventually approached a large floatin' vessel, which they eventually entered via docking tube- they had returned to the station. As they slid into position, a light on top of the tube began glowing; three cases out of four were bright green. One was flashin' red. In a shadowy nook, Deputy Superintendent Qarvasse Mortenze looked over his crewmen expectantly.

"Well? How'd ya do?"

'Helios' sighed and scuffed the floor with his boot. "Our target was _not_ located, sir. The drones… have failed."

Deputy Superintendent Qarvasse Mortenze frowned. "Cadet… _really_, Cadet? _Have _they?"

He looked down to a control panel held up beside him, upon which information on the probes was shown. Each drone was represented by an outline; as before, three were green while one stayed red. The Deputy Superintendent then reached down and pressed the odd one out with a clawed finger, watchin' as the screen gave way to a feed from its camera- at the moment, it seemed to show Earth.

"What about this one, huh?" he asked. "It's not back yet. I haven't heard a _peep_ from Vega since he went down there."

"Is that… _bad_?" Jenny whimpered.

Qarvasse Mortenze smiled reassuringly. "Nah, not really. Ain't too hard to bring him back. See, the main issue I have with this is… she's there."

"How can you tell, sir?"

"I saw a bit of that… eh… that _blackwash_ he got when the Titans beat 'im. He's down in some river, right? Still alive?"

'Libra' raised an eyebrow and walked up to the monitor. "I _believe_ so, yeah. Why?"

"See… he can still communicate with us. And now he's on Earth." Qarvasse Mortenze was very excited. "If he's always right… and that _was_ Komand'r he ended up findin'…"

"We'll find the girl there."

"_Correctamundo!_ We'll find her there!" Qarvasse Mortenze was now smilin' wickedly, gaining that look in his eyes that assured one that he did _not_ want to spend a night alone in a haunted house with him. "_HELIOS!_ Back to the cop car! You're goin' down to Earth with me! _LIBRA!_ Stay here and man the controls! Don't want any communications hiccups! _JENNY…_ " He raised a finger, "eh… dunno…"

Jenny smiled. "I can cheer you guys on!"

The Deputy Superintendent perked. "Yeah yeah yeah, do that! Cheer us on! We're gonna need the support." Qarvasse Mortenze began walkin' to his vehicle. "Westward ho, men. An intergalactic criminal is causin' havoc on some stupid planet and WE'RE gonna be the ones to bring 'er down!"

"_YEAH!_"

"_We rule!_"

"_ShaddUP_, Jenny."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

The man is not malicious at all. He is in fact very nervous, small and weak. Yet Brother Blood is angry all the same. His face contorts into something resembling a cross between anger and plain condescension.

"What do you _want?_" he hisses.

The man tightens, face paling. "Um- I'm only h-here for the tapes, as r-requested by-"

"Requested by WHO?"

"Well- you see- I can't r-really…" A sigh. "He goes by Slade, actually."

Brother Blood lets go of the grip he had had on the man's tie and frowns. "And this Slade is…"

"Er- Slade Wilson, the famous assassin… sir…"

"I don't know a Slade Wilson."

The man is now sweating profusely. Brother Blood seems to be honestly considering killing him- but he would never do _that_, right?

"You know!" Portly fellow grins a toothy grin. "The man who was always at this school? For his son?"

"And WHO is his 'son'?"

"Uh- um- uh…"

Brother Blood growls, picks the man up again. "I have no _time_ for petty guessing games. There is WORK to be done! Tell me _NOW!_"

"_Gak!_" His captor is now quickly running out of breath. You consider doing something, but do not know if your master would complain. Wait… your master…

"I- well… h- his daughter's name is- _Hrrk!_"

Okay. That's enough. Master or not, opponents must _never_ be allowed to kill each other in the arena.

The man's face has turned blue by this point. In spite of his anger, Brother Blood is _smiling_. The man has self-control.

"No more playing around," he whispers.

"Wait! I- only came- _hrrk_- only came here for the-"

"_STOP!_"

_WHUMP_.

The man has been released safely on the ground; his skin is still very pale, but he is alive and breathing. Brother Blood stands beside him, hands still open and mouth now gaping. He once again seems to have his anger/condescension face on.

"What. Did. You. _Do?_" The principal enunciates each word very clearly, almost spitting in his shock.

You have placed your hands out, preventing the two combatants from engaging each other again. Brother Blood tries to circumvent this, but is unsuccessful.

You frown. "I couldn't allow you to kill him."

Brother Blood is silent for a second, then gives you a shaky smile. "Kiina- I didn't intend to do _that_. HIVE is very much above murder, and only does it when necessary." He leans in to your face. "Between you and me," he jokes, "he would've died pretty easily anyway."

"But that's no reason to-"

"Ah ah ah!" He is tut-tutting now. It seems disrespectful and patronizing, but what can you do? "Master's views first. I understand your concern, but we have to be _extremely_ careful of each visitor we process here. In fact," Brother Blood muses, hand on chin, "I'm not sure how he got past security."

A weak voice rings out. "Tea and cakes, sir. Not to mention the guards are always up for a fair bit of cricket."

Brother Blood frowns. "Oh, good. You're _awake_."

"Can't stay asleep a _mite_ too long!" Portly man grins.

"Eh. Very well. _Why_ are you here, again?"

"I already told you, sir… I'm here for the tapes-"

"Under Wilson. Yes, I know. Who is his son?"

"Oh!" The visitor narrows his eyes. "Bloody hell, Blood, I thought you would've _recognized_ me by now…"

"I don't," Blood says. "Kiina?"

You-

"She says she doesn't know of you either." Brother Blood turns to his desk, brandishing your papers. "Now if you don't mind, _we'll_ be back to training, and _you_ can be back to-"

"Or Grant?"

An eyebrow shoots up. "Who?"

"Grant… Wilson?"

In a flash, Brother Blood is back to the man. "Grant _Wilson_? _The_ Grant Wilson? I regret to believe I'm right, but it very much seems like…"

"Yep!" the man says, red returned to his cheeks and personality returned to his brain. "That's him. I'm his butler… or I _was_, anyway… now I'm-"

Blood glowers at him. "_Deathstroke's_," he spits. "Of _course._" He growls inwardly. "The Ravager's father?"

"The very one?"

"Yes siree!"

"_Damn it!_"

Brother Blood doesn't seem very happy. It is pretty obvious even from _your_ perspective, but still. You wonder if there is something you can do.

"Is there a problem, Brother… Blood?" you ask, touching his shoulder.

"No," he returns. "Not particularly. We just have a very… _mellow_ relationship with the Wilson family."

"And it's not one I intend to continue pursuing," the man says. He stands- not an easy task to do when someone who is surprisingly fit has nearly crushed your windpipe. "I'll just be fine with getting the tapes, then I'll be off. That okay with you, sir?"

"Gladly." He freezes, not interested in watching the man look through his shelves. Then he turns to him regardless. "Oh- whomever you are- might want to be careful of-"

_WHAM!_

Blood winces. "The books."

"Whomever You Are"'s head pops out of the pile it has created. "I'm okay!"

"Yes. _Very_ okay." Blood sighs, facepalms, and points to the door. "Just- just go-"

An old-fashioned salute. "William Wintergreen, sir, at your service!"

"_Yes, thank you…_ Go and find the Headmistress, William. She will have a much better handle on this situation than I. I am just a lonely principal, after all."

Wintergreen smiles. "Wh- Whatever you say! I'll be off in a jiffy, don't get your knickers in a twist." He wiggles his form out of the books, jumps off, and is out the door much slower than he had intended.

Brother Blood finally turns to you for the first time since Wintergreen had entered. He beams warily, gaze hardened. You do the same.

"Good _riddance_."

"I agree. Good riddance." You frown. "But… Master… what was the issue? Why didn't you just kill him like you'd wanted to?"

"Because…" Master sighs, "he is… and I say this honestly… a twit. A total, absolute _twit._ His idiocy is part of the reason Deathstroke pulled Ravager _out_ of the Academy in the first place."

"Ah." You can understand. Those kinds of guys come a dime a plenty in Tajun.

"Gresh?"

Your eyes widen in shock? "_Gresh?_ How did you _know?_"

"I- I- erm…" Master does not seem to know how to respond.

"_WHERE IS HE?_"

Master chuckles sheepishly. "He is… he is… not here at the moment! But he will be! I have just sent him out on a mission."

_Gresh?_ On a _MISSION?_ _**ALONE?**_ That honestly seems pretty absurd. You're not sure whether to believe Master Brother Blood or not. Because while the guy is very skilled, he _wouldn't_ have the tenacity to-

"No worries, no worries! He's fine. I trained him well. And now I will train you-"

You reach over and _PULL_ his robe down to you harshly. "_TAKE_ me to him!"

"So that we may-"

This guy can't make any more excuses. You KNOW he's kidnapped Gresh. Has to have. Probably keeping you here as ransom, to make you his loyal-

his loyal…

his loyal…

what are you

what are you…

_I only want to help…_

Doing?

Why were you holding on to Master like that? Not only is it very rude, but also it's dangerous. You let go and give off an apologetic smile. He seems to take it okay

Master pats you on the head. The contact feels nice. "Don't tire yourself out," he says. "We still need to train."

"For what? " you ask.

"A lot, my Kraken. A whole, whole _lot_."

* * *

It was now-

* * *

"Wait, why am I named Kraken?"

"You were a creature of the sea. Found in it. Used it to beat the Gordanians. The name suits you."

You smile. "Oh, okay."

Yes- Kraken _does_ suit you. Because it represents what you will do to the guys who have kidnapped Gresh- the Teen Titans. You do not know why you know who they are, but they're supposed to be deadly. _Very_ deadly. Won't be to you once you're _done_ with 'em.

* * *

(God damn it. Lobo, was that you?)

NO

(Sure. Let's just go with that.)

Yes… let's_._

Day dawned on Titans Tower. Sunlight glinted over the glass and the waves. In a hallway, Starfire walked with purpose.

"Sister?"

No response.

"Sister?" she called again, this time a bit louder. "Sister, I seek your companionship!"

Starfire looked around a bit and found a game of _Speed Racing_ taking place on the monitor. Two vehicles were rocketing down a twisting, winding track, one white and one green. Both fought to take the lead for a while before the green one sped in front and began blocking the white's attempts to overtake it. On the couch, Cyborg and Beast Boy's expressions said it all.

"You want to pass me," Cyborg panted, frantically pushing buttons on his controller, "but you can't pass me. You can't pa-" He gaped; Beast Boy gave a triumphant smirk. "Yo! _You passed me!_"

Beast Boy laughed dramatically and began consolidating his lead. "Tighten the turn… jets… and… NITRO!"

He jumped onto the couch, dancing in joy. Cyborg slumped over as he sat down again. Starfire steeled herself and walked up to the two.

"Tell me, have either of you seen Blackfire?"

"Blazin' B?" Beast Boy responded. "She was here just a second ago… oh."

Cyborg had taken the lead. Beast Boy felt himself tighten up as the robotic man relished in his revenge. Back in _Speed Racing_, Cyborg's vehicle advanced by the guardrail, giving off sparks, before smashing Beast Boy's aside and moving ahead.

"Aw YEAH! _Back_ in the lead!" Cyborg laughed heartily.

Starfire smiled. "What _fun_! May I join your game?"

Cyborg frowned. "Can't let ya right now," he said. "Winner plays Blackfire."

"Yeah," Beast Boy gushed, even though he was losing. "She _rules_ at this game!"

"Oh!" She beamed. "That is… that is…" Then she deflated and sighed. "I see. That is great. You may continue to have fun."

Starfire left the boys to their own business and began walking down the halls again. After a while, she came to a set of doors with differently coloured LED screens- these were the Titans' rooms. The Tamaranean walked up to one with a dark blue tinge and knocked on the door. It slid open a tinge before a pair of amethyst eyes appeared.

"Is… is my sister in there?"

"No," Raven intoned, beginning to close the entrance to her darkened sanctuary.

"Oh…" Starfire suddenly perked. "Wait! Might you wish to hang out with me? We could visit your favourite depressing café."

The witch exhaled and muttered something under her breath. "Already been," she said more loudly. "It was open mike night and Blackfire wanted to share." Raven smiled a bit. "Your sister's poetry is _surprisingly_ dark."

Starfire sighed again, allowed Raven to close her door, and headed back down the hall. To her surprise, Windflyer was sitting on a beanbag chair outside the gym. As he had been prone to do since his arrival, he was reading.

"Greetings, Windflyer," she said with a wave. "What brings _you_ here?"

"Reading," the Toa returned nonchalantly, not even looking up from his book.

Starfire walked up to the chair and began looking over his shoulders. "Interesting. May I read also?"

"Pull up a chair," Lewa said. He hugged the one he was sitting on. "I like this one _way_ too much."

"Very well." She sat down beside him. "Which book are you the consuming today, friend?"

Windflyer raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know you _liked_ reading, sister."

"At times I will peruse a few to 'digest' the important information." Starfire frowned. "Though… I have found it very surprising that it seemingly does the nothing. Whenever I try bits of paper always end up in my throat."

"It's… that expression's not literal."

"Really? I was not aware."

Windflyer waved her off. "N- never mind," he choked. "This one is… uh…"

He knew very well what the title of the book was. But he didn't know if he would want to show it to Starfire. It was WAY too mature for her tastes- then again, though, she _did_ go through tons of incredibly gruesome torture and come out all the better for it…

It didn't matter. She reached over and picked his read up anyway. Looking over the cover, she scrunched her nose. "_The Catcher In The_… 'Rye'? I do not understand. Does this mean to imply he is literally _in_ the rye?"

"I don't… _think _so? Apparently it means he's protecting kids. I haven't read enough of it to be sure-"

Starfire began flipping through the pages and-

"Done!"

The Toa gaped. "_Already?_"

"You would be surprised to know that we do not do much reading on my planet," she said with a triumphant smile.

Windflyer scoffed and took the copy back. "Yeah. Like I'm gonna believe _Superman_ does it."

Starfire raised a brow. "But he… _does_? Kryptonians have much of the same abilities Tamaraneans do."

"Like ignoring your closest friends," Windflyer mumbled. "_Whatever._ It's not terribly important. Did you like the book?"

"A tad," Starfire said. "Mostly I was left wondering why this Holden Caufield wastes his time pursuing unworthy affairs when his time would be better spent with those he _cares_ about."

"But he _does_ care. For some of the prostitutes, anyway- Ugh!" He raised a hand. "I gotta say," Windflyer mused, hand on mask, "from what I've read, I really, _really_ hate this thing. I'd wanted to read something with more _heart_, but _Kumi_…"

He paled. "Um."

Starfire narrowed her eyes and hardened her gaze. "_Continue_."

"Well… y'see… I've really wanted somebody to read with, and no one's ever interested. So when Kumi-"

"_WHO_ is '_Kumi'_?"

"It's- it's-"

The answer seemed to hang in his throat, strangled by the cables that lined it. "You don't happen to have… _issues_ with her, do you?"

"'_Issues'?_ No, I do _not_," Starfire growled. "_Why_ do you ask?"

"Because- you weren't very happy when she told you to get drinks, and I could've sworn there was some friction at breakfast…"

"She did not HAVE breakfast! She merely stole _mine!" _She lunged towards Windflyer. "Am I correct in assuming we are both talking about the same person?"

"Well…"

Windflyer sighed. "_Yes_. Kumi seems to be okay with _you_, though…"

"Know that I am _not_ okay with Blackfire being here and that I request to Robin that she be _banished_ from this tower IMMEDIATELY!"

"Okay, I'll see what I can- _urk_." He wheezed and thrashed around a bit. "Mind letting me _go_ first? I was gonna go talk to Blackfire anyway, about changing our book, but she's been busy helping out-"

"Is _THAT_ why you were situated here? To stalk my sister and _swoon_ over her? I CANNOT _BELIEVE-_"

"_Sister!_ Tone down the anger," Windflyer said, getting up off the beanbag. "I- know you're upset, but we don't want the Tower to explode…"

_Whoooosh!_

He smiled. "Oh, perfect timing! Give me a minute to go in and see what she-"

"That's _perfect_, Robin."

"Oh."

The shadows of Blackfire and Robin appeared on the wall, through the door to the gym that had now been opened. Their shadows were close enough to be touching, and after a while literally were. This was enough to make Blackfire's sister gasp, eyes bugging out."

"Hold me just like that," Blackfire continued, "and…"

She _threw_ Robin across the room, the bystanders watching as the Boy Wonder spun around and crashed into a rack of dumbells. Starfire was _not_ happy, to say the least.

"That is _enough_," she whispered, eyes now glowing.

"Learned that move from a Ven-Zo master on Tyrus Three," Blackfire said as a badly injured Robin got up and righted himself. He raised an eyebrow upon seeing the door open.

"Fly?" he said incredulously. "How long have you been… standing there?"

"Long enough to know Kumi can give you a _serious_ beat-pounding," Windflyer deadpanned.

"Hello, Robin…" Starfire said, entering, "…and… my _sister_. Are we interrupting?"

Robin smiled. "Not at all. Blackfire- or Kumi, as Windflyer so elegantly puts it-"

"Thank you."

"Was just showing me some alien martial arts. How come _you guys_ never taught me these cool moves?"

Windflyer pondered this a bit. "Well… Hydraxon's moveset _is_ pretty similar to yours…"

Starfire could not answer.

"For Starfire, at least, it's probably because she doesn't know them. I always _was_ the better fighter. Which reminds me-" Blackfire gestured to Windflyer- "you should come and expand your moveset with us, Lee. Over here!" she yelled, leading the two away. "I'll show you wimps the technique I once used to stop a raging orthax!"

Blackfire's sister stared at Windflyer for a moment. He winced before slowly turning to her and shrugging. She looked back, gazing at the two bug-eyed, then nodded sadly and hung her head.

* * *

Wintergreen was _pumped_. He'd just been told that he could go and see the Headmistress after all. The thought made him so _happy._ Of course, _Brother Blood_ hadn't been too chuffed… and come to think of it, that water girl wasn't chummy either. Not much skin off _his_ nose.

Slade hadn't been clear on what he'd been supposed to get. The HIVE Academy offered many materials to help its students and their parents on their journey to success. One of such included tapes, recorded at the beginning of each summer to showcase that year's top graduates. Grant had always been at the head of his class, so the family had seen many more than they should. The guy already knew how the kids were handled. Why did he need to see more?

(To be fair, though, Rose and Joey had never aced their courses either, and Rose was a troublemaker. Joey was just… Joey. Why did this matter? No particular reason. He just wanted to point out that Slade _had_ had a point in pulling his kids out of HAEYP, even if it had been contrived.)

If this was _Slade_ Wintergreen was sure he was working with…

Oh yeah. He _definitely_ wanted fresh blood. The robots and the warehouse obviously weren't enough. Action needed to be taken.

Wintergreen came up to a giant golden door, a lone battalion in a constant sea of yellow honeycomb. The placement was a bit awkward, but this was it. The Headmistress's office. Where he and Slade had been countless times to talk about the students, their grades, and behavior. Now the butler was here for an entirely different purpose.

He hesitated for a moment then readied himself. The HIVE Headmistress was prim and proper. He would have to act, even if it pained him, the same way. The fate of the contract depended on it.

Wintergreen reached up as high as he possibly could, sighed when he realized he couldn't get to it, then pulled out a long pole and attached it to the cast-iron bee used as a doorknocker. Then he put it up and let it go.

* * *

Writing is _hard._

1. Blackfire seems like the kind of person who'd be in the know about a lot of things. The whole Spherus Magna thing seems like something that'd pop up often. Nice little connection for you there.

2. This take on the Centauri is probably concerning to a lot of you it is to me but trust me I know where I'm going with it.

3. Blood's hypnosis isn't strong enough to keep people in his control yet. It'll get that way after some time.

4. Each book Lewa reads is supposed to correspond to the plot of an episode in some way. This one... _doesn't_... because Blackfire told him not to read a related book (as you'd expect.) If I were to pick something relevant, it would probably be _Jane Eyre_, _Little Women_ or one of the Bionicle books themselves.

5. More connection between the episodes and the comics. That's always fun.

Read and review!


	33. Sisters III

I think I've figured out what this communicator's supposed to do. It connects you to Titans Tower. I _think_.

Yeah… I obviously don't have anything together yet.

What I _do _know is that Lewa's joined a team. A _Toa_ team. Can you _believe_ that, dear reader? He'd acted like he was never going to be in one again, and now he is. Hypocrite.

Oh, by the way, that's where he is. Titans Tower. 'Home of the Teen Titans', is what the ads always say. They really seem to _love_ these guys here. Shirts. Magazines. Posters. Books. Interviews. I don't even know what half of those things _are!_

I've been trying to contact him for a while now, but it looks like something is wrong with the feed. I can't get through. Something must be bugging it. You'd expect better from the guy who was built like a freaking robot.

They're nice people, anyway.

* * *

"Pull! _Pull!_"

Tahu Mata Nuva couldn't _believe_ he was doing this.

"I can't _believe_ I'm doing this."

Of course they had managed to _find_ Pohatu. The Toa of Fire just couldn't process why he had been hiding in the _mountains_, of all places.

* * *

_Gali, concerned as always, had rushed up to the foot, packed snow crunching behind her. There seemed to be nothing else there beside it. She reached down with her Toa Tool to brush the area around the-_

"_I would very much like it if you leave that part alone, sister!"_

"_Aaaah!"_

_The Toa all winced and jumped back a bit, surprised by the sudden complaint. Then Gali touched the ground again…_

"_Important note:" the voice spat sardonically, "I wasn't kidding. Stay off."_

"_Pohatu?"_

"_Yes, it's me!"_

_The Toa of Water gaped. "But… what are you doing in the snow?"_

_Pohatu sighed, wiggling his foot around a bit. "Well… It's complicated. I was walking back to the Po-Matoran sector, thinking over the whole mess that happened back in our little brother's hut, when-"_

"_We have no time for complicated!" Tahu yelled. "The Gordanians have already left our planet and we need to find a way to get to them NOW!"_

"_Wait… what? Could you explain further?"_

"_We…" A sigh. "It's not important. If you want to tell us how you got here, could you please go quicker?"_

_Pohatu smiled, although nobody could see it. "Okay! Got back to my hut. Found some weird lizard guys blowing up the place. Tried beating them up, but- there were too many. Way too many. And way too powerful, too- I had to flee before I got the armor blown off me."_

"_Gordanians!"_

_The Toa of Fire sighed. "I wish I could not be concerned, but I am concerned."_

"_As am I," Gali said._

"_As am I."_

"_If the Gordanians are really as powerful as you make them out to be…"_

"_Then we'll have a hard time taking them out later on." Onua finished._

"_Yes. We are doomed."_

* * *

"What's there to not believe?" Pohatu asked. "You're just taking me out of the ice. No big deal."

They had been trying to free him for 20 minutes.

Nothing tried seemed to work. The obvious first choice was to have Onua dig him up, but his quakebreakers couldn't even scratch the surface of the prison. Pulling Pohatu out with the Pakari didn't do squat either- it looked like the constant rush of snow had frozen him in. The Toa's elemental powers were a bit wonky on this planet and didn't seem to work as well as they had in the robot. Not even their _weapons_ could break this.

So it was a _big_ surprise when Tahu stopped slamming the ground with his sword, took a rare moment to _think_ before he acted, and recommended putting a new spin on one of the most clichéd moments in the book.

The Nuva were going to _catapult_ Pohatu free.

(Or pull a Pohatu in itself. Tahu hadn't mentioned it out of respect.)

* * *

The hallway was dim and slowly darkening. No sound emerged from its many branching pathways. Black boots made pounding footsteps on the steel floor.

Blackfire couldn't see. Not well. And not in the figurative sense, either- back on Tamaran, she'd been teased quite a bit for wearing corrective lenses. Those girls hadn't kept that smirk on their faces much longer.

At least she could assert dominance over Kory, anyway.

Now she came up to her room. Or at least she _thought_ it was her room. The whole thing seemed too girly to be real. Pink upholstery, posters, _teddy bears?_ _Sheesh_. If she were emperor, she would've told the younger And'r to _scram_.

(Suffice to say, her recent coup attempt had… _not_ gone so well.)

There was no knob, no method of entering. Blackfire considered just knocking the door down, but relented; Robin would be prepared. Oh, _Robin_. How she liked Robin. He was cute and witty and actually quite intelligent. Shame her sister seemed to have the same affections… oh, _whatever_. She didn't mean much. Not to her.

A small display had been bolted to the front of the door. At the moment it was a bright shade of pink and read "_The Abode of Starfire_" in gaudy purple cursive. Even included those hearts some people used in place of the dots in I's.

It was the only thing there besides polished stainless steel, so it must have had _some_relevance. Blackfire shrugged. Gordanians tended to use pretty complicated tech, so…

_SMA-_

"Hello, _Kranika._"

By the grace of _RA._

The Tamaranean flinched, rustling the carpet a lot, but it seemed to have no effect on the others. They must not have been here.

Who _was_ this? Another Titan? A villain? He certainly _looked_ like a villain, coming up and _scaring _her like that. And his big glowing green eyes. No question about it; he had to _go._

She raised her free hand, readied a starbolt, and-

"I wouldn't _do_ that if I were you."

He had latched _on_ to her! How _dare_ he? Her eyes glowed fiercefully, preparing to strike…

Only to be blocked by a shield.

"If you're wondering why I'm able to fight _you_ and not Tanika," the being mused, "well… that's up in the air. She must be _insanely_ powerful. But that's not important."

Blackfire gasped, breathing relatively quickly. "L-_Lee?_"

"Mm-_hmm._"

"But-" She raised her hands up in apology and grinned nervously. "I thought we were _friends!_ Y'know, Lee and Kumi, scourge of the empire, going on awesome adventures together-"

Lewa growled. "_Don't_ do that anymore. I'm _on_ to you, Kranika, and I want to know what _eeevil _plans you have."

Blackfire receded and raised an eyebrow. "_Already?_" She smiled, lowering her facade. "I didn't know people could figure me out so _quickly._ They're usually too dumb to realize."

"Guess I'm _not_, huh?"

"Yeeeah, you're too Marty Stuish for my tastes."

"Hahaha, yeah." The Toa scowled, narrowing his own. "Okay, so what's the deal? What do you want with Tanika? Planning to kill her? Throw her in space?"

"Cute. I'm not planning to do anything at _all_, Lewa. Although the first option _does_ seem pretty viable."

"Then _why_ are you _here?_"

"Already _told_ you," Blackfire scoffed. "'I was in the quadrant. Thought I'd see if Earthlings like to party.'" She raised her arms and moaned in exasperation. "_Remember?_"

Lewa sighed. "All too well. Do you take me for a _fool?_ I'm not _that_ bad at reading people, y'know."

"That's the thing. I _know_ you're not. That's why I did all that cool stuff with you."

"I figured you were lying."

"At best…" Blackfire gritted her teeth. "Trying to _appease_ you. And the others. That's _all._ If there's _anything_ I've done to offend poor sweet _pwecious_ _wittle_ Starfire, it's just because we have… issues." She turned to the door. "Now can I _please_ go in?"

The Toa raised a mask ridge. "Why?"

"I… have something I need in there."

Sneer. "Like what? Illicit space weapons?"

"Don't need 'em," Blackfire said, hands and eyes glowing. "These babies are more than enough."

"To sabotage her relationship with the team, right?"

"_No!_ Now leave me alone!"

Blackfire went into Starfire's room. As she had speculated, there was not much there. The Gordanians had taken all her belongings. Posters of stupid boy bands weren't gonna cut it.

She supposed taking over her life would do.

Nothing of interest lay on her shelves, so she retreated to the closet. Kory's outfits had always been more extravagant than hers, more well liked. She'd been in closer contention for the throne, being able to fly better. It'd been part of the reason why Kumand'r sent her with the invaders in the first place.

Ah. _There _it was_._ The outfit with the Zorkan Jewels. Her sister never wore this one, as they were valuable enough to attract unwanted attention, but the princess had kept it as an indicator of her status. Now that Blackfire was the only royal sibling remaining, it felt right to take it for herself.

Blackfire reached over and took the mangled coat hanger which held the set-

"_One_ more thing!"

Oh god damn it.

"What do you _want_?" she spat, looking at Lewa coldly.

He smiled. "Just a general question, really. I'll leave you alone once it's through. Heart-promise."

Blackfire sighed but kept her gaze on the Toa. "I don't believe you. Shoot."

"Okay, um… well… see… there was this squid we quick-fought last dark-night. A _squid._ Yeah, I don't believe it either. It was a pretty insignificant battle in all, and I wouldn't be mentioning it if not for the fact that…"

She raised an eyebrow again.

Lewa grinned, although the gesture was shallow. He obviously didn't care for this much. "We have fun at the carnival. Squid attacks. We take it out." Now he frowned. "Just after we settle everything down and return to the Tower… _you're_ there. _Before_ us, even. Would it be rude to suggest-think the two events are heart-related?"

"A bit."

"Oh. Not gonna be here much longer," he mumbled. "Well… sorry for asking, but… did you have anything to _do_ with it?"

"Well…" Blackfire had to chuckle at this. "Yeah. _Obviously_ I did. That was- my craft!"

"Why did it kidnap Starfire?" Lewa asked.

"It went rogue," Blackfire said smoothly. "Got the wrong programming. Thanks for getting it under control, by the way."

The Toa frowned. "You're… welcome? That's odd. Didn't ever imagine alien ships doing _that_." Then he scowled. "One last comment before I go- and this one's a doozy. Don't _ever_ lay a hand on Tanika, okay? I don't think _anyone_ would like it. You hurt _one hair on her head _and I'll-"

"I understand! It's cool, I understand," Blackfire said and made a peaceful gesture. "We'll keep this between us. Don't want to hurt my sister's feelings, after all."

"Yeah."

She scowled "Good. Now _scram._ I'm changing."

For a moment, Lewa stared at her incredulously; mouth wide open; then he nodded and did as he was told.

* * *

In the Ops Centre, the other Titans were hanging out. Robin, Cyborg, and Beast Boy did not do much, but Raven was busy reading a book. Beast Boy sighed and began picking his nose.

"Your sister is a dick," Windflyer mouthed as he passed Starfire.

"Oh," she murmured. "Did you finally-"

"What've you got with you?"

"A plan."

"_Friends!_" Starfire then said cheerfully, greeting the Titans. She was balancing buckets of popcorn and candy and a stack of DVDs.

"I invite you to join me in the togetherness of a stay-at-home movie night," she continued as she walked up to the couch. "I bring you popcorn and _non-cotton_ candies. Tell me, what sort of movie shall we view?"

"Action," Robin said.

"Comedy!"

"Sci-fi."

"Romance," Windflyer mused. "Or a documentary. That works too."

"Horror."

Surprised, Starfire dropped her snacks. She then laughed nervously. "Perhaps a double feature? I feel we have not spent much time together as of late, so it would be a great way to-"

"Forget the flicks, kids."

Blackfire was wearing one of her outfits.

_Blackfire was wearing one of her outfits!_

And it was the one with the _Zorkan Jewels_ too!

"We're going out!"

"We _are?_" Starfire said puzzled, her sister passing her. "Where did you- are those _my_-?"

Blackfire picked up the dropped popcorn box. "Heard about a party downtown. Cool crowd, hot music."

"_Yeah_!" Beast Boy yelled.

"I'm in," Cyborg said.

"Why not?"

"Always up for a good fun-party, but we were _actually_ just about to-"

"And it's in a creepy run-down warehouse."

Raven, still firmly entrenched in her book, perked at this.

Windflyer frowned. "Wait… a _warehouse party?_ Aren't those things…"

"Illegal?" Blackfire smirked, slapping him on the back. "Hah, you're so _charming_! Yeah, don't worry. These guys are kids, around your age. They _obviously_ know what they're doing."

"But these are life-dawners… and I'm not a-"

"And if anything goes wrong, the police'll come in and stamp it out no sweat. Nothing to wind yourself up over! C'mon!"

"Buh- but-"

The Titans got up and began to leave. Cyborg whooped.

"I am a party animal," Beast Bot deadpanned, turning into a gorilla.

"But we were just about to- aw, _guys! C__'mon…_"

Robin and Raven passed Starfire without saying so much as a word.

"Hey, sweetie, Lewa and I raided your closet," Blackfire said as she too left, leaving her sister standing among a pile of ruined snacks and DVDs. "Hope you don't mind us borrowing your look."

Windflyer winced. "It's only a few days," he whispered, "it's only a few days…"

He looked at Starfire apologetically before heading out, still repeating the same mantra he had before.

Starfire looked after her and sighed. "Why not?" she said sadly. "You have already borrowed my _friends_."

* * *

The door opened.

"Ah, Mr. Wintergreen," a voice called. "Please do come in."

Wintergreen entered the Headmistress's office. A very welcoming atmosphere permeated the room; the walls had been painted a faint lilac and smelled like them too, and several green cushions lay around the plush yellow carpet. Behind a carved redwood desk, an old but fair woman- Lillian Fairsworth, runner of the HIVE Academy- sat waiting patiently.

She smiled as the butler sat down. "It is nice to see you again."

"Nice to see you too, miss!"

"I would have expected to see Slade here as well," Lillian said, "but I expect he's still… busy. No matter. Now then," she continued, pulling out a file from her desk drawer, "I understand there was an issue you wanted resolved with the Top Graduates?"

"Yessir!" Wintergreen raised his hands. "There's this one bloke in town who Wilson wants-"

"Taken out?"

"No…" Wintergreen sighed. "Worse. He wants 'im as an apprentice."

Lillian beamed. "Ah. A nice strafe from his usual ways." He had obviously been in the assassin business for a while. "And what do the Graduates have to do with it?"

"Well, Slade's- we've been tryin' to take those Titans out so that we can swoop in and grab 'im, but they're too damn powerful! Cinderblock, Plasmius-"

"Have you tried for yourself?" the headmistress asked.

"Nah." Wintergreen shook his head sadly. "Says it's not worth 'revealing himself too early', or somein' like that. Personally, I'd just go in and tell 'em the truth."

"But that's not viable."

"Not in the slightest." He raised an eyebrow. "D'ya _really_ think so though, Miss Fairsworth? I mean, they're teens. They've _got_ t'listen to authority _some_ way or another."

"Trust me," Lillian smirked. "That doesn't happen. I've already got two vile little examples of my own."

"Hmm, yes, so I heard. Any other ideas?"

"Like you suggested before," Fairsworth said. "Bring in somebody else to do them off; somebody stronger, and more intelligent. Somebody with an agenda." She beamed again and opened the file for Wintergreen to see. There were pictures of people whom he didn't recognize and what appeared to be descriptions of them. They didn't look like they had an agenda _at all._ They just looked like lousy brats. Were _these_ chaps supposed to be able to stand toe to toe with the Teen Titans?

"You made the right choice in coming to HIVE. We here at HAEYP are always looking for ways to cultivate our budding villains and villainesses. Now if you'll excuse me," Lillian finished, pushing her chair back and getting up, "I'll go and arrange an appointment with Slade. He'll be very happy to hear of this. Oh!" She suddenly poked her head back in. "And I _have_ to see our new recruit train. Kraken. She's _good._"

Wintergreen flinched. Was that…?

"And who… is Kraken?" he asked nervously.

The HIVE Headmistress smiled evilly. "The girl who may be able to take out the Teen Titans. Not yet, though. She needs time."

He sighed in relief. So she _wasn't_ trying to kill him. That was good. Although… time…

Time…

Clocks…

_Chromium!_

Wintergreen had no idea why he just thought of that.

* * *

"Are we _there_ yet?" Malum asked.

"You keep using that phrase," Lobo responded sagely. "I do not think it means what you _think_ it means."

"Shut up! I THINK I've heard enough 'Princess Bride' references to last me a lifetime!"

Lobo frowned. "That _was_ the only one to date, you know… My name is Lobo the Czarnian. I killed my planet. Prepare to die."

"Ugh. Just take me to Lewa already."

"I know!" Lobo grinned. "Why don't we just ask Akhmou's corpse?"

Malum raised an eyebrow. "Ask him _what_? He's _dead._"

"Not anymore."

"He's right, you know," Akhmou said. "I seem to have lost that affliction when we exited subspace."

"Ah. Then…" Malum growled, "Welcome back… _LOBO!_"

"What? _What?_"

"Stop messing around and get us out of here!"

"But… I…" The bounty hunter smiled sadly, as if coming out of a bad Very Special Episode. "Yeah. You're right. 'Sides, the fuzz is here."

"_THE COPS?_"

"Yeah, look beside you!"

Sure enough, a large alien ship had stopped cruisin' by the Space Hog. Akhmou gulped. The others had no reaction.

"H-hello, Vahki. What seems to be the- _Oof!_"

"No need to worry, sirs," Lobo said coolly. "Everything's under control."

"Not really," one of the officers noted. He was big, green, had clawed hands, and appeared to have a few tentacles too. He actually looked almost like a Gordanian, if a Gordanian was more personable and wore a brighter outfit. (A regular police one, in fact.) "Everything is _not_ under control."

"How so?"

"There's a notorious space criminal wreaking havoc on Earth. We just wanted to know if you had any information on her?"

Akhmou paled. "T-Toa _Lewa_?"

The second, more experienced policeman facepalmed. "Aw, man, not _'im!_ He's cool! Nah, we're just wonderin' if you saw another 'un. Kumand'r. She's Koryand'r's sister, natch."

"We have absolutely no idea," Lobo said.

"But the two… more robotic of you were on Spherus Magna when she was there," the first said with a helpful smile. "Surely you know of _some_ of her exploits."

"Nothing that _we_ saw," Malum said. "You should go ask Lewa yourself."

"And he knows of her?"

"More than a bit."

The policeman put away a wallet he had been writin' on. "Very well. We really wanted to meet him anyway. Big big fans."

"Toa Lewa has _fans?_"

"That's the question everyone's been wonderin'," the other policeman said. He drew out a card and handed it to Lobo. "Deputy Superintendent Qarvasse Mortenze, at yer service. And this's Vega." Said person gave a wave.

"If y'ever need a few good men to clear some stupid interstellar crap up, the Centauri Force's a good call. Do give us a ring, aight? We're pretty sure you're hidin' something."

"Thanks," Malum grumbled. "We'll _consider_ it."

Qarvasse Mortenze grinned. "Good, good. Oh, by the way," he said as the Centauri ship withdrew, "you're that one Czarnian, right?"

"Yeah," Lobo said with a concerned look.

"You're-"

"Yer under arrest for seventy-six counts of arson, murder, genocide, lootin', rape, and other vile acts I can't bring myself to mention in front of these fine gentlemen. You've the right t'remain silent."

The bounty hunter growled and took out his hook. "Don't try anything funny, bastich. I've never been gimped by the fuzz before, and I-"

"Never will, sir," Vega said. "This is the last point on your timeline."

"So?"

"It… can be changed."

"Oh, okay." Lobo calmly got off the Space Hog and got into the ship beside the Centauri. "Don't worry, guys. I'll be fine."

"Are you _sure?"_ Malum asked. "I mean, you're just stranding us out here in…"

The ship began to drown away, muffling whatever else he had to say. The only thing that permeated the inky fabric was Lobo's constant yells of "Read the fragging note!"

"What _about_ the note?"

Akhmou mused over this. "I suppose it's important."

"Yes, but _how_?" Malum frowned. "This is _Lobo_ we're talking about. The guy is more predictable than a rampaging Cendox."

"Can't we just read it anyway?"

"Oh… all _right_." He looked in the compartment under the Space Hog's leather seat and found a small wrinkled-up scrap of paper under a pile of cigarette ash, soda bottles, and whale photos. It had been damaged by the first two but was otherwise okay. What a slob.

(Oh, like YOU'RE one to talk!)

With some trepidation, the Glatorian opened the note. Random letters had been plastered it like a clichéd ransom note. Some of them seemed to come from whale-watching pamphlets and others came from parking tickets. The grammar was atrocious.

"_hay baztiches.,, __wizit the weding n un hol yer,_" it read. Akhmou facefaulted.

"But we don't _know_ of any wedding," he said. "Wait, what's a wedding?"

"A unity of holy matrimony." Malum smiled mischeviously. "And I think I have an idea of what he means! C'mon, Matoran," he said, manning the bounty hunter's motorcycle. "We're going there to meet him."

They opened a whol in subspace and wer once again oenfgne,

* * *

The "creepy run-down warehouse" that Blackfire had mentioned was actually quite lively, despite its weathered exterior. A variety of strobe lights flashed in different colours, illuminating the compound, and a DJ played the latest Top 40 hits. Inside, a large crowd of teenagers partied and danced the night away.

"Step _aside_, Earthlings," Blackfire yelled flamboyantly, making her way through the crowd with nearly all the Titans. "The queen of the galaxy has _arrived!_"

Starfire was not so thrilled. Raven and Windflyer looked back to see her standing away at a distance. When she noticed the two staring at her, the Tamaranean began moving to the group. She did not have an easy time, however, as she found herself constantly bumping into dancers and being jostled around.

"Oh…" Starfire murmured, "Excuse… oh… uh… _Ow!_" Somebody had stepped on her foot. "You really should _apologize_ after stepping on someone's foot," she whispered angrily.

Raven shook her head at the princess's awkwardness and walked off. Windflyer slid up to Blackfire and began to dance similarly, not wanting to go all out.

Blackfire laughed. "Now don't tell me you _big tough_ _superheroes_ are afraid of a little dancing." She pointed to the Toa. "Look, he seems to be doing fine!"

"Betcha Cyborg can do the robot."

Beast Boy did a little bit of this incredibly racist dance and was met with an angry glare from the appropriated. In front of him, Blackfire danced across from the pair. The duo shrugged and began to get down- besides them, Windflyer hesitated for a moment. Was it _really_ worth indulging the girl, if only for a while? They were seriously hurting Starfire-

Oh well. If anything else, she would definitely be leaving soon.

Raven and Starfire watched as the boys danced. The latter had a shocked look on her face and the former just did not care. Her pose and expression evoked the same boredom with the event as at the carnival.

"This party is _pointless_," she intoned.

A goth boy came up to her. "Everything's pointless. Wanna go talk about it?"

Raven looked at him warily, then shrugged as well and headed off. Starfire started off after her but decided to stay back. Behind her, two straight white cissexual males wearing incredibly tacky outfits walked through the throngs. Suddenly one's eyes widened.

"Duuude, did you, like, just see that totally gnarly maiden back there?"

"The hot red-headed babe? Yeah. We should go, like, talk to her."

He frowned. "But, like, isn't she already taken?"

"Not that I know of!"

The other man grinned. "Duuude!"

"_Excellent!_" they yelled, both bumping fists dramatically.

"Hey, hot alien girl," the first slacker said, turning to Starfire. "You diggin' the scene?"

Starfire blushed and laughed nervously. "I… did not know we were supposed to bring shovels."

The slackers both guffawed. "_RIGHTEOUS!_ Keep up the good work, dudette!"

"What work?" she said weakly. "I did not even bring the required tool."

* * *

Back in space, the Centauri ship drifted by Earth. Qarvasse Mortenze and Vega looked over the planet on their viewscreens.

"Y'_sure_ we know what we're doin', Cadet?"

"The girl may have defeated _one_ probe, sir," Vega commented, but she will not fare so well against _three_."

"_Yay!_"

The drones were launched consecutively, blastin' towards the blue marble with a slight fizzin' sound (which was _technically_ not supposed to be heard, but whatever. 'Tis fiction.)

* * *

Starfire sat on the ledge of the warehouse's roof, head in hands, and watched as three bright shooting stars blinked in the sky, heading towards the bay. She heaved a sigh dejectedly. It was probably a sign. Her k'alforg once told her that trails of these kind decorated Tamaran all the time. As a new star headed to the planet, the old one would leave.

"Perhaps I do not belong here after all," she said, now very upset.

"Of _course_ you don't."

Robin had gone up to the roof as well. He held the door to the stairway open and was looking at her with concern.

"You belong down _there_, having fun with the rest of us," he reassured Starfire, closing the door and stepping out onto the roof. "What's wrong?"

She smiled. "_Nothing_ is wrong! Everything is _wonderful!_ The pounding music and _blinding_ lights are _quite_ enjoyable-"

Robin sat down beside Starfire. She took a deep breath-

"Everything is _not_ wonderful! I am happy to see her, yes, but Blackfire rules the video games, and she is able to share very depressing poems, and she enjoys illicit literature, and she knows the cool moves… and she always knows when people are _not_ talking about shovels." She exhaled and looked away sadly. "And I am _nothing_ like her."

"No," Robin said, putting a hand on her shoulder, "you're _not_. And I think-"

_SQUEEEEAAAK._

"Hello-hi, sorry for interrupting!"

"_Windflyer?_"

Windflyer panted a bit, obviously having gone through some excursion to get through the skylight. "Yeah… 'tis me."

Starfire looked at him incredulously. "Why are you not enjoying the party? You _obviously_ care more for Blackfire than you do _I_."

He raised a mask ridge. "Really? Didn't we go over this already? No matter. This festival isn't my thing. Too bright, too loud… too _obnoxious! _I'd rather go to one of _my people's_ parties, thank you very much."

"I think we _all_ would," Robin said, despite not knowing what Le-Koronan parties were (bless his soul.) "As I was saying…"

"Can- can it wait? Someone's harsh-pulling on my- _OW!_ _Hey!_"

Somebody was dragging Windflyer down. He struggled with this unknown force for a bit before being thrown to the side. Blackfire, now sporting a banged pink hairdo, emerged from the skylight and smirked. "How do I look?"

Robin grumbled. "Pink. Look, can you two give us a minute here?"

"I… I'm cool with that," Windflyer said. "But Blackfire…"

True enough, Blackfire was not happy at all. Suddenly, though, the music changed, the elder Tamaranean beginning to smile.

"Ooh!" she squealed, gasping happily. "I _LOVE _this song!"

Blackfire flew over, grabbed Robin's arm, and pulled the Boy Wonder down through the skylight. Windflyer winced. "Wait, don't-"

It closed.

"_YEEAAAAAAAA!"_

The swinging door had trapped the Toa's body. Strange to say, given it was basically solid metal, but it had, in fact, pinched him in. Starfire did not know exactly what was going on, but she looked at him with silent trepidation anyway.

"Friend," she called, "are you okay?"

Windflyer groaned and lay his head down. "Owie zowie."

"I will take that as the no then." Starfire smiled reassuringly. "Do not worry, Windflyer. It should not be much trouble free…"

_BREEEEEEEEN._

The two looked up, both confused. Starfire stood up wearily. "Huh?"

She gazed off into the distance, staring at the night sky. The trails from before had faded, dust fallen over the ocean, but a bright glare could be seen fading between the letters that made up the warehouse's large neon sign-

Another probe poked out and charged at her. The girl gasped in utter shock.

* * *

1. I have _plans_ for Gresh and the Toa. Evil, utterly _conniving_ plans. Muahahahaha. (What does Tahu call himself now that he's been devolved, by the way?)

2. Is it out of character to have Lewa see past Blackfire's lies so early? He always seems to rely on hunches. Don't worry though. They're still very wrong.

3. More HIVE adventures! I hope you find it fun to see Wintergreen frolicking around like this. I have plans for him too. Not as bad as the others, but still plans.

4. _Who can guess what wedding the "Space Zeroes" are going to crash?_ (hint: it has story relevance in the future)

5. People really should recognize who I've made the slackers a homage to (and if they were supposed to be a homage to it in the first place.)

Read and review!


	34. The New Team

Suddenly, the tentacles stopped.

Windflyer frowned. They'd been at full power before. What the heck happened?

"You can thank me later."

A dark shape appeared in the shadows. It was hard to make out, but it looked like a...

"The man of bats!"

Oh god. _BATMAN._ _That_ was helpful.

"Thanks a _lot_, Batman," the Toa spat. "We were doing just _dandy_ before YOU came in."

Batman narrowed his eyes. "I know."

"So? Can't you just stick to _your_ own fights?"

"I'm afraid not," Batman continued, freeing Starfire from the tentacles. "I've come here with an important message."

"And that is..."

"You're not going to be able to fight crime anymore."

"_WHAT?_"

Both Titans fainted.

* * *

"But I don't understand," Robin said. "Windflyer's right. I wasn't in any danger. Why are you here?"

"The Justice League told me we need to... replace you. Luthor's not too happy."

"But that's Lex Luthor... right, dude?" Beast Boy laughed nervously. "He wouldn't have any issue with-"

The Bat narrowed his eyes. "He thinks you're too dangerous. Too complex. Too... _not kid-friendly._"

"I could say the same for you," Raven muttered.

"Don't think I didn't hear that."

"Whatever."

"What I think he's trying to say," Cyborg countered, "is that we need to get jazzy with the public. And if the public sees us as a menace..."

"Then we will not have their favour anymore," Starfire finished sadly.

Batman smiled. "Exactly." He turned to the computer. "If you don't mind, I'm going to have to ask you to pack up and leave."

Everyone facefaulted. Nobody was too happy about this decision.

"_What? WHY?_"

"The new Titans will be here any second."

"Wait..." Windflyer frowned. "New... Titans? But aren't... _we_ the Titans?"

"Not anymore," Batman said. "I'd like to introduce you to-"

* * *

_**TEEN TITANS GO!**_

**_!_**

**_INTRODUCING:_**

ROBIN (HE"S BATMAN"S SIDEKICK)

CYBORG (TECH EXTRAORDINAIRE... AND BLACK)

BEAST BOY (DUDE! DUDE! DUDE!)

STARFIRE (BRAINLESS SLUT)

RAVEN (SHE CAN EXPLODE YOU AT ANY SECOND. JUST LOOK AT THE COMICS.)

**_AND NEWLY MINTED..._**

NATALIE BREEZ (BECAUSE LEWA A S***)

_**EPISODE I: DRIVER"S LICENCE!**_

It was a beautiful day in Titans Tower. No wait, it wasn't. Because bad guys were attacking.

"HAHAHA, BRAINLESS CLUNKHEADS!"

"After him, Titans!"

The Titans were taking they're new T-car. It's awesome because it has rockets and jets and neon. Get it now with 60% APR financing.

Gizmo was using his Doctor Octopus tech, which doesn't make any sense because A) Doc Ock is Marvel and B) Doc Ock is Spidey. And shouldn't we get the Ultimate Spidey?

Robin knew that Gizmo was powerful. But he also knew that his Titans were even _more_ powerful. Because Batman told him. Batman's the best.

Gizmo lashed out with his tentacle, but Raven countered with a shield and threw it back. Starfire began blasting him with starbolts. Cyborg did... some gun s***. I don't know.

Gizmo wasn't dead yet. And the HIVE Five were with him. They'd never win.

Unless...

Beast Boy had a plan. He rushed to the pantry, picked up a rotting banana, and...

**_BANANA!_**

Threw it on Gizmo! It worked! The dumb nerd wasn't looking where he was going and slipped and fell. And everything exploded. Because he's Asian. Aw yeah, Titans.

"That was _amazing!_" Robin yelled.

"Yes, very joyous, oh glorious friends!"

"Charming."

"Dude, I _know. I'm Awesome._" Beast Boy grinned, looking at the destroyed island. "Any ideas on what we should do now?"

"Let's hit those showers!"

_"EEEEEWWWW!_"

_RECOIL!_

"Dude. That's gross, dude."

Cyborg frowned. "Yeah. Everyone up for pizza?"

"Aw yeah, Titans!"

"Glorious and joyous!"

* * *

At the pizza shop...

The Titans are sitting and arguing over pizza.

Rob: Hey, I wonder where Terra went.

BB: Why do you ask, dude?

Rae: Isn't it obvious? He wants you to stop moping over yourself.

BB: Dude, I don't...

Star: Friend Robin is correct! Realize that the event must have affected you prominently, Friend Beast Boy.

BB: Whatever, dude.

Cy: We gonna have an argument over pizza, grass stain?

BB: No.

Rob: Hey, look! It's our new friend Handsome!

(Handsome appears)

H: Hi, guys!

Rob: Handsome, we need you to investigate why Gizmo attacked us.

H: No need. Ol' Batsy is on the case.

Rob: But we were just- oh, okay. That's cool with me!

Star: Should we not go an assist them? I understand his sidekick Katana has... _issues_. Do you not agree, Friend Natalie?

Rae: If there's anyone you kooks should be nervous about, it's Alfred.

H: Alfred's awesome.

Rob: No he's not. Batman is awesomer.

H: Alfred's awesomer!

R: Batman's awesomer!  
H: ALFRED"S AWESOMER!  
BR: BATMAN"S AWESOMER!

Star: Katana is awesomer!

Cy: Yeah, I agree with Star. Katana is cool and has a sword.

BB: Dudes, she's hot.

Star: Friends, might you want to hear a knock ncok juoek?

Rob: Not now, Star. We need to go beat Professor Pyg and Mister Toad.

BB: But-but- they're mean! Dangerous! I can't fight 'em!

H: Dont worry, BeastBoy. They've been toned down for American consumption.

BB: But they destroyed Aya! She's dead, dudes! Dead!

Rae: Not quite. But we will never know if she's alive.

Cy.: Damn Snyder.

All the titans clenced their fists, because Stuart Snyder was an evil evil man.

Suddenly

BOOM!

Rob: Titans! Go!

They went off to fight the new evil.

* * *

At the scene of the crime...

Johnny test was causing havoc. Lots of havoc. _WHIP._ It was amazing to think of how much havoc he created. _Crack._ No, seriously. It's worse than Annoying Orange and Incredible Crew put together._ RIFF._

Robin was first to the scene. He once learned how to be super fast, because based Batman taught him to. I love Batman.

3 Batman.

"You've cracked your last whip, Johnny!"

_WHIP._

Johnny turned to them. He wasnt too happy... no, he seemed concerned. Like someone had set hm up for this.

_It's been falling out my reach_

He sighed. "What can you do?" _Crack._

_I once had a trip right to the beach_

Starfire floated up to him. "Friend, we can help you. Might you enjoy a good joke of two knocks?"

_Rainbow, rainbow, kicking a keetch_

"I don't know. I guess so?"

_I'd really really like to smush a beetch_

"Let's hit those showers!" Cyborg cheered.

"Yeah, dudes!"

"Go for it."

Starife smile.d "VEry well then,. How many gorfnuuks does it take to screw in a xzahrfnim?"

Johnny frowned.

_Blood on my fingers, yeah yeah yeah_

_RIFF._

"Do your worst."

"Umm, that is wrong, friend."

"Totally wrong, dude."

_WHIP._

_Dripping down my fingers_

"Then..." Dukey appeared. HE looked at Johnyy incredulously. "Ask her who's at the door, you prick!"

_The blood of angry men_

"Okay, sut up!" _CRack. "Whos there?_"

"_FINBAR!_"

Everyone laughed. It was a really funny joke. Most of all Johnny. Later, when Nick had their Kid's Choice awards, it actually one the award for Beast Joke over Spongebob. which should never happen, because Spongebob is awesome.

_I learned that trick from Jean Valjean_

"Aw yeah, Titans!"

"We rule!"

"I'm sorry, Teen Titans. No, you don't."

The Titans, Johnny, and Dukey looked to the scene of a crime. Johnyy stared for a moment before gagging.

"A _My Little Pony?_"

"_My wings are so pretty!_"

_Who got his hat from ol' Axe Cop_

Robin frowned. "I don't think that's the enemy, Titans. Batman told me ponies are autistic."

"And he's not?" Cyborg asked.

"She. Princess Twilight Sparkle. She's not autistic, because she enforces gender roles. Batman says those make the world go 'round."

"I hate batman," Dukey muttured.

"_WHAT?_"

"Nothing!_" He grinned evilly. "Actually, there _is something. Bewcause I'm the _actual_ enemy."

His eyes began to glow, brilliant red replacing dull grey.

_Good old Axe Cop, on friend Wexter_

_"What did you do, Dukey?_"

"I stole your shows. All of them. Motorcity, Tron, SBT, YJ, GL. I tok them all. And left god cartoons in their place."

_Dexter, Dexter, Dexter_

"Chima isn't even a show, dude," Beast Boy said. "It's LEGO."

"And _I'm_ LEGO."

"Dude."

_Omelette du fromage, au fromage_

"No matter. You've been looking for the wrong person. It's not a pony your looking for. It's not even a SANIC you're looking for."

_Camea capora. It doesn't matter_

"No... you're looking for _me._ Stuart Snyder. The god of all evil."

"**_NOOOOOOOO!_"**

_Because CN is the tightest for liiiiiiiiiiiiiifeee!_

"**_PREPARE TO FACE MY WRATH!_"**

* * *

_**EPISODE II: SNYDER ATTACKS!**_

**_SS: PREPARE TO D_**

* * *

"Stop. _STOP._ I can't _read_ this crap anymore."

"It is... not nice?"

Windflyer scoffed angrily. "Are you _kidding _me? It's AWFUL!"

"But I worked very _very_ hard on it..."

He softened. "I can understand. Still... you need help. Lots of help."

"Very well," Starfire said, smiling. "Might we congregate after this shoot?"

"I suppose so. Hey, guys? What happened to the tentacles?"

"_They're comin' in a minute_," a nearby operator said.

"That's cool. Star, I love you an' all, but... you _sure_ this isn't just a bad April Fools joke?"

IT SURE IS

* * *

_APRIL FOOLS YOU FRAGGING BASTICHES_

_YOU GOT FRAGGED_

_BY THE IMMACULATE MASTER OF PRANKS LOBO_

_IM SO AWESOME_

_NEW CHAPTER SOON_


	35. Sisters IV

As the night raged on, Cyborg and Beast Boy danced like they had never danced before. (They had actually never danced before.) The dynamic duo had been at it for two hours now and was honestly blowing everyone else out of the water. At the moment, they were currently working on creating a move that would officially establish their superiority. Beast Boy had decided that he was going to jump off of Cyborg and twirl, or something like that- thinking was hard. He moved to exchange a back-and-forth with his buddy-

_SMASH!_

A massive battle was taking place on top of the warehouse, and the green hero could see it all. Through the transparent skylight, Beast Boy watched as Starfire and the probe from before fought it out on the panes themselves. Starfire was obviously going to lose; there was no doubt about that; but he couldn't help but wish that she would try and put in a bit more effort…

Oh.

The alien craft had seized her and Windflyer in its metallic appendages and zoomed away. Okay then.

Wait…

That wasn't okay! Not by a long shot! Beast Boy had once made a vow with Negative Man to never leave a female in danger, and he wasn't going to break that promise just yet. Even if the whole tentacle thing _was_ a little hot.

He dashed across the room, looking for a way to reach the ship and all the while watching as it sped. After he reached the other side of the warehouse, he unfortunately lost track of it. Thankfully, Beast Boy was sure his robotic dance partner could grant a little bit of assistance.

"_Cy!_" he yelled. "Star and Fly're in trouble!"

Said requestee was busy dancing his butt off, hoping to make it big with some pretty girls. He knew Beast Boy had lied more than was healthy. Why should he listen to him…?

Cyborg turned to look at the grass stain anyway. He was leaning on the brick wall, left panting by his "chase" with the probe. Suddenly, another reached down with its tentacles and grabbed him, dragging him towards the door.

_Me and my big mouth,_ Beast Boy thought in disgust/elation.

He was much less excited on the outside, though. "Whoa! Help!"

Cyborg began running after him. Grass stain was a good few meters away, but the hero had gained quite a few skills from his upgrade, not to mention his previous fame in the football circuit. He wouldn't take long to rescue Beast Boy… just a bit further…

_SMACK!_

Just a bit further before he was intercepted by _another_ probe and _smashed_ into the wall. Cyborg tried to resuscitate himself, finding it hard to do among the smashed bricks and dust, only to find the thing staring back at him.

* * *

In another corner of the warehouse, Raven and the gothic boy talked in the darkness. Raven obviously hadn't told him much about her, but the male had been quick to spill out his every complaint. His name was Robbie, and he headlined a band called "Muffin Explosion". He enjoyed pistachio ice cream and kicking babies. Robbie had a thing for a girl named Wendy; next summer, if he had the funds, he was going to travel to Gravity Falls, Oregon to meet her. Raven didn't believe this one bit. But he did.

"So," Robbie asked, hesitation and apathy readily apparent, "do you like show tunes?"

She frowned. "Not really. I actually-"

_Whoosh._ A metal thing carrying Beast Boy- _Beast Boy_- flew by, interrupting her answer. Raven narrowed her eyebrows while Robbie just looked at the spectacle with eyes wide open. The witch turned to her new friend with a look of regret. "You should probably go."

Robbie nodded quickly. "Yeah." Then he was off, feet beating the hard surface of the warehouse.

Raven flew up to aid the others, levitating two crates with her magic and hurling them at Beast Boy; he was released, skidding across the floor upon impact, but Starfire and Windflyer continued being trapped. She looked through the skylight and was surprised to find their captor staring down at her, almost as if to say "Wrong move, lady." The probe rose into the air before stopping and _barreling_ down towards her, crashing through the skylight in the process-

_SMASH!_

And into a pile of crates, coincidentally where Raven had gotten her projectiles. One would assume that the witch would put up some sort of barrier to shield herself from the impact, but no, she simply stepped out of the way. Nearby, Cyborg got in a punch on the probe that had broadsided him and Starfire, Windflyer and _their_ probe broke out of the crate pile. It moved to capture them again, but Starfire retaliated by throwing a starbolt in its face.

Meanwhile, Beast Boy had his own problems to tangle with. The probe that Raven had helped him escape was closing in on him, and he didn't want to have to mess with it repeatedly. He yelped in fright and backflipped out of its way, transforming into a tiger to lunge back at the otherworldly creation and swipe it across the room with a simple flick of his paw; unfortunately, it stopped by Starfire and a hesitant Windflyer. Soon enough the probe had righted itself, the triplets converging to take her in.

Starfire gasped and flew around erratically a bit, desperate to get them off her tail, leaving Windflyer to pick up her slack and send a few tornadoes at the probes. This did not take them out- they merely spun around for a bit and were up with no apparent problems- so it was up to Cyborg to destroy them with a massive flying tackle (coincidentally giving the two a breather.) Starfire and Windflyer looked down on the athlete as he fought the probes, grunting dramatically in the process. It seemed he believed it would take only three hits to scrap these things- while one punched its recipient away, and the other took the tentacles of a probe and eventually the whole thing with it, but the third merely flailed around wildly and sent Cyborg tumbling away.

* * *

Robin and Blackfire rested on the steps, seemingly having come out of an illicit act. Blackfire was not too enthused by this, but Robin was downright _angry._ He had just the right mind to give this girl a piece of his mind- suddenly; the Boy Wonder had something else to worry about. There was fighting going on outside the brick cage, and it seemed chaotic. Blackfire would have to wait. Robin turned to the wall, about to get up, when she stopped him and looked into his eyes pleadingly, as if playing with him like a dog.

"Where are you going?" she asked sadly, now pouting. "Stay and talk to me."

Robin sighed. "Look, I _just_ want to make sure that Starfire's okay."

"Yeah… but-"

_SMASH! AGAIN!_

Cyborg had come crashing through the wall. Robin and Blackfire stared at him incredulously; he could only give a grumble in return. Rubbing his head and standing up, Cyborg watched as Robin came over to him.

"What's going on?"

Cyborg frowned. "Remember that thing, the one that attacked Star?" The two nodded. He narrowed his eyes. "Well… it had friends."

The robotic hero then jumped back into battle. Robin was all too eager to follow him, but stopped when he noticed Starfire's sister staring blankly into the distance, as if in deep thought. He wondered if it was because she was alone on top of the stairs.

"Blackfire?" Robin called hesitantly. She continued to ignore him. He cursed under his breath and tried again.

"Blackfire?" he called, this time a bit louder. "Didn't you _hear_ him? Your sister needs _help_!"

Blackfire shook harshly, snapping out of her trance. "Huh- what? The probe that attacked Starfire? It has friends?" She smiled. "Right. Of course."

The princess pulled on her new hairdo, revealing it to be but a wig (where she had gotten it remains unknown,) dropped it carelessly, and joined Robin in running down the stairs after Cyborg.

* * *

"Phew- we're okay!"

"Not quite!"

_CRASH._

They had escaped the probes, no thanks to Cyborg, and were now trying to find a way out. Windflyer had suggested the window, but soon realized the probes would hear the glass breaking. Starfire first thought of going out normally- though the probes weren't _that_ stupid, the Toa agreed with her pretense. The two would need to be sneaky, and thus a… less known option was the way to go. Luckily, Starfire was nearing a wall.

"Do you think we'll make it through?"

Starfire gritted her teeth and frowned. "It does not hurt to try."

She broke through the wall of an outside alleyway behind the warehouse, allowing Windflyer to float past unharmed. Unfortunate that he, being very keen-eyed, did not notice another one.

While they did not crash through the wall on the opposite side, both Titans still took a great impact. There was a dumpster below, to break their fall, but it sadly did not do much. Trash wouldn't have been much of help anyway.

As Windflyer and Starfire took a moment to nurse their wounds, the probes flew right past them. The male rubbed his head angrily then looked at his compatriot, who was still not in a very good mood.

He sighed. "Hey… you okay?"

No response. This seemed eerily familiar. Windflyer tried a different approach.

"Do you think we should check if the others are okay too? Those probes _were_ pretty powerful."

This time he received a slow nod in return. It wasn't much to go on, but the Toa smiled and began to open the lid. Just a peek, in case something came after him-

_CLANG!_

_THEY HAD CLOSED IT ON HIS HAND!_

NOT _AGAIN_!

He would've screamed his throat out if not for the fact that Starfire was doing it for him. The tentacles had grasped onto the dumpster and were hoisting it into the sky. And there was nothing they could do about it…

_Sching!_

That Robin's birdarangs, couldn't do, anyway. Severed by their sharp blades, the tentacles ripped off for a moment before falling to the ground, taking the dumpster with them. As the birdarangs returned to the Boy Wonder's hand, he smirked and gestured for the other Titans and Blackfire to pose.

"Titans, GO!"

Cyborg frowned. "Wait, why'd we say that together?"

"Beats me," Robin replied. "But it's not important right now. We need to take down those probes before-"

"_I've_ got it!"

Before anybody could move, or even _react_, Blackfire jumped up, flew over their heads to the alien craft, blocked their interception, concentrated, and evilly smiled as two neon purple beams shot out of her eyes and disabled the probes, sending them a great distance. As she landed, bits and pieces of hull, wire, and tentacle rained down around her. The Titans could not believe this.

"Aw YEAH!"

Cyborg ran up to the elder Tamaranean eagerly; soon the others joined him as well. He grinned. "Good times!"

"Nice shooting, Tex," Beast Boy echoed.

Raven gave something resembling a smile. "Very nice."

"How did you know where to hit them?"

Blackfire shrugged. "Lucky guess?"

"We could _use_ luck like that," Cyborg said excitedly. "Maybe you oughta join the team!"

"_Me?_ A _Teen Titan?_"

He nodded. It was not long before, although not without some hesitation, the rest of the team agreed. Nearby, the dumpster lid opened again.

"I _swear_ I heard her say she was a Teen Titan now," Windflyer hissed. "Am I right? Did I get that down correctly?"

"We can only hope- _eep!_"

Starfire poked her head up and gasped in shock. He had been proven right. It was tragic. A banana peel fell on her head.

* * *

Your training continues. It is slow, but rewarding. Brother Blood teaches you much about history, fighting, and the ways of villainy.

You learn that the Teen Titans have not been formed for very long. After an alien, who you regretfully discover to be Tanika, crashed to Earth, she began wrecking a city. A group of heroes congregated in the process of sedating her. Among them was one Windflyer- _Lewa-_

Let me just stop this story by saying that Kiina had no _ill will_ towards Lewa, so to speak. It was just pent-up emotions and anger at past events being channeled into a human target. If the Glatorian had encountered her friend normally, there probably would have been a talk. Maybe a slap or two, that's all. But such is the will of Blood that even _she_ could not help but succumb to the joy of violence.

It is _horrible._ Yes, he is alive. But he DESERTED you. Left you for dead. And now he's frolicking with those- _piraka_, of all people! You can't _STAND _it!

Brother Blood knows you're angry, and he's cultivating that potential. This much you're aware of. He didn't seem to reach that far into your brain, thank goodness. Thing is, though…

You don't know if you'll be able to stay this sane for much longer. And it bothers you.

It's not _too_ much of an issue, anyway. Blood keeps pushing you to become a villain regardless.

You're finally looking to take a rest, panting after a half hour-long fight session where he worked every fibre in your body to full maximum, when the door knocks gently. Four times. You'd go and get it, lest you're punished, but you honestly can't move an inch right now. 'Sides, it's probably better for business if the visitor outside _doesn't_ enter the HAEYP Principal's office to find a sweaty girl cyborg having just come out of practice.

Blood comes out of his private bathroom, hair all too wet, glares at you for a moment, opens the door. Just as you'd thought. Said visitor is a well-kept middle-aged woman, grey hair slicked back in a way that accentuates her faint wrinkles, and she does not seem very enthused to see either of you in this state.

Not for long. She's soon smiling from ear to ear. Yeesh. The wrinkles are actually _pronounced_ now. Girl looks even worse than _Ackar._

"Are you Kraken?" the lady asks, still keeping up that warm expression.

Shouldn't she _know_ already? The two of you are trying to keep your existence a secret, but the encounter with Wintergreen was tenuous enough for him to have go and told on everyone. Still, you respond anyway, drawing out your affirmation. "Yeeeeees?"

"That's good." Old girl looks at your body, taking in its kinks, hopefully not getting any wrong ideas. "I see you have been training a lot."

"Yeah. Nothing I already knew, though."

She looks at Blood curiously. He shrugs. "She was a fighter before. Knew some moves, but my hypnosis was such that it suppressed them deeply into her brain."

There's that word again. _Hypnosis. _What does it _mean?_

"Interesting. Kraken, have you _done_ any seedy acts before?"

Blind old bat. "Oh, loads," you say, hand on a hip. "When you're fighting for your life on a post-apocalyptic wasteland, it's best to take whatever opportunities you can get."

You have no idea where you just got that.

"And what did those opportunities entail?"

"Uh… stealing, cheating, stabbing… the works, I guess?"

Lady hems. "Most interesting." Then she moves up to you, offering her hand. "Lillian Fairsworth. I'm the headmistress of the HIVE Academy, where you will hopefully soon be studying."

"Quite likely," you mumble under your breath, shaking Lilian's hand all the same.

"You mean to imply you will not attend our school at _all_?"

"Never been to school. Never plan to."

"I'm sure HIVE can help you."

"I'd rather help _Berix_ do some 'collecting'."

"Kraken," Brother Blood interjects. "This will be a good experience for you, remember? You need to refine your talents. It's the only way to mould you into a better villain."

There is nothing you can to but glare at him. He's obviously not impressed; Fairsworth, surprisingly, is. She winks at you, as if to thank you for the sass.

"No, Sebastian, I think she has a point. It wouldn't be right to just thrust her into the field. Not, at least, until after the Graduates take on their first mission."

Blood perks, at both the apparent use of his real name and the Headmistress's comment. "Really? The Trio is actually getting some action?"

She smiles. "Nothing too serious. Deathstroke and Wintergreen have contracted them to kill the Teen Titans."

The _Titans._

There's nothing on this planet you'd like more than to get your hands on that slimy little weasel.

_So_ much so that you actually ask if you can join them too.

They laugh, Fairsworth saying you're not quite ready for it yet, but they seem to acknowledge you could do the deed. That's good.

"I'm sure," Fairsworth says, "that when the time comes you'll have the power to do whatever you please. _Especially_ with them."

She moves to shake your hand again. "Now I must be going. Slade's asked me to meet him. Can't keep the man waiting. Keep up the good work, student!" she finishes, walking out the door.

Blood closes it harshly, making a loud noise, and frowns. "Come, my Kraken. We must train more.

Well _that_ was interesting. Apparently you have a boatload of potential that can be used to your advantage. Even _Blood_ agrees.

But what to use it on…

What to _use_ it on?

Hmm.

_Yes._

When the time comes, like Fairsworth told you, you're _definitely_ bashing Lewa and Tanika's heads in. No doubt about it.

* * *

After the fight at the warehouse party caused everyone to evacuate, and the warehouse itself to be roughed up quite a bit, the fete was ended quickly without much finesse. The Titans returned to the Tower, all very much surprised by Cyborg's declaration. Raven retreated to her room, while the robotic man and Beast Boy played GameStation. Windflyer watched them tiredly. Starfire, Robin, and Blackfire were nowhere to be seen.

"Yes!" Beast Boy cheered. He had- "I think I win again!"

"That's… great, grass stain."

"Totally _amazing._"

Cyborg frowned at Windflyer. "What's _your_ problem? Ever since Blackfire took us to the movies you've been actin' a little… _off._"

"And you can't see why?"

"I can _see_ that it's because you're _jealous!_"

"_Jealous?_" Windflyer gaped. "Brother, what makes you think I'm _jealous?_ I'd _never_ get jealous at someone!"

Cyborg explained. "Think about it. Blackfire is stronger than you. Smarter than you. Tougher than you. Nicer than you. Does a _heckuva_ lot more stuff than you. She's an all-around better, cooler person. I know you don't take flattery very… _well_… but you're pretty much the best person we have on our team. Makes sense that you wouldn't like being upstaged."

"I see your point. But I honestly don't really care."

"Not even that Blackfire's pretty much usurped your and Star's spots?"

"Not in the _slightest._" Sigh. "Cyborg- it's not that I'm _jealous._ Seriously. I have better people to get angry with. _My_ problem with Kranika is that she's too… _nice!_ Yeah! Comes into our home. Offers to do _everything_ for us- even the cooking. Takes us out to places _she_ decides to go to and doesn't respect anyone else's decisions. Don't you think that's just a liiittle suspicious?"

"I think it's a blessing from Heaven," Beast Boy gushed.

"Shut up, Beast Boy."

"Dude."

"Whatever."

"You have a point, too," Cyborg said, "but I'm gonna side with _grass stain_ over here. We lucked out. She's _amazing._ Can't you take pride in abusing her?"

"How long is she staying here?"

"Uhh…" He frowned. "I actually don't know. BB?"

Beast Boy did not respond.

Windflyer got up from his seat on top of the couch. "See what I mean? We have no idea if Kranika's here to pamper us or fatten us up for a stuff-feast. I'm gonna go check on my katana. Spirits know she hasn't tampered with them yet."

He said this offhandedly, as he was walking towards the hallway containing the Titans' rooms. It was still pretty dark, but Cyborg had supposedly installed a system that would allow one to turn on the lights on command. Apparently it was as easy as saying "Lights", although the system was very faulty. Maybe he should try it now, just to see its charm-

"And just where do you think _you're_ going?"

_KARZAHNI._

"To my room," Windflyer said. "Why?"

Astonishingly, Blackfire did not get angry with this. And Windflyer did not quite know why he knew it was Blackfire who had stopped him. Maybe he was getting ahead of Raven after all.

More on point, she merely smiled. Evilly, yes, but it was still a nice gesture. "No way, Jose. You're coming with _me,_" she whispered.

"Okay. I'll see what I can- _Hey!_"

No use. The Tamaranean began to drag him to her intended destination, but the Toa was able to put up a good fight with his Pakari. She instead retaliated by picking him up from his still somewhat sore waist and heaving him onto her shoulder. Windflyer kicked and screamed and used all the wind powers he could think of, but she would not move.

Eventually they came to a room- Windflyer was sure of this because Blackfire dumped him _harshly_ onto a bed. It may have been soft and fluffy, but the impact was so hard he could have sworn his back was messed up again. It was very dark on here, but he seemed to be able to make out some posters… dang, his Ruru was pretty bad… maybe he should've-

"You're wondering about the lights? Eh, don't worry. I can turn those things on-"

"_Lights._"

Suddenly, the room exploded with a brilliant glare. Both inhabitants had to shield their eyes. It was easier to see now, even with the sheer brightness factored in, and it looked like this was _Starfire's-_

"Screw you." Blackfire scoffed at the panel. "Can't you turn these lights _down_?"

"_Lights._"

It was dark again.

"Uh, Kranika? I think you meant turn the lights up-"

"_Lights._"

"_Aaah!_ Too bright! Too bright! Lights off-"

"_Li-"_

"_HUUAAARGHH!_"

_SMASH!_

"_ghhttssss…._"

Windflyer frowned. "Cyborg-brother isn't going to be too happy about that."

"Whatever. I'm not going to be here to hear him."

"You're _leaving?_ Then why am I-"

"Because _you're_ coming with me."

* * *

Gresh here: Not much of an update yet. Still trying to find Lewa. Saw him fighting some robotic squids but was too busy trying to be incognito to help.

Good news is he's at a party. And things are loud. _Literally._ Apparently those guys like him, because he and Tanika have to fight three of them at once!

I wonder what she did before coming to Spherus Magna.

Other than that, I'm still pretty clueless. Some feisty woman came up to me and began flirting with me, but I paid that no mind. Not really looking for a relationship at the moment. Gresh out.

* * *

Windflyer was shocked. _Doubly_ shocked. She wanted him to _leave?_ Abandon his friends just when he needed them most? He wasn't just going to-

"If you're worried about the Titans, calm your tits. They're already brainless as is. I don't see how your absence will affect them _that _much."

"I made a _promise._ I'm going to stay on Earth and HELP them."

"Help them with what?" Blackfire asked. "Silly cape crap that nobody really cares about?" She was scowling now. "Face it, Lewa. Your people _need_ you. Your _brothers_ need you. _I_ need you!"

"I thought you'd at _least_ care about Cyborg- wait, _what?_"

Did she really- did she just mention the Matoran? And the _Toa?_ Were they in…

Blackfire sighed, adopting a mocking tone. "And _I_ thought you'd remember your _original_ promise. To the Matoran. You were supposed to protect them from all harm… _remember_?"

"Yeah, well, everything changed when the Great _Beings_ told me to scram," Lewa spat.

"They're an authority. And authorities are _nothing._"

"Like you're one to know. Tanika said you took over the crown after you sicced the Gordanians on her."

"That was my _SISTER_ you were talking to!" Blackfire growled. "She's nothing but a pest! A naïve, ditzy _airhead_!

"And _she_ thinks you're nothing but a cold, two-faced nuisance! So I guess you guys're even."

"_Whatever._" Blackfire picked Lewa up again and began running towards the nearest window. The Toa was obviously not happy, even less so upon spotting a small pack.

"Where are you taking me _now_?" he asked.

"Where do you think, Toa of Breeze? Space. The big wide world around us." Blackfire took off his mask; he instantly felt the ill effects. "We're finally gonna get to have those adventures you kept imagining."

"But… you were _supposed_ to join the Teen Titans."

"I'm surprised you took me seriously."

"Don't you want to be a hero?"

She almost laughed at this. "A _hero? Seriously?_ Who do you think I am, Captain Mar-Vell?"

"Not exactly who I had in mind," Lewa rasped, "but…"

"Nah. No way. I'm a goddess, first and foremost. Only real reason I came to see Starfire was to f*** with her."

His eyes widened wearily. "Wait- seriously? So you weren't planning to kill her at all?"

"If she happens to end up in jail," Blackfire smiled, "and I wouldn't be surprised if she did, she would probably off herself anyway. Less effort for me."

"But the necklace-"

"Was a diversion. To throw her off my back. Now c'mon; we're wasting time and I want to blow this Popsicle stand before Robbie Wobbie realizes I'm gone."

"You're… not going to inform the others?" Lewa was now a bit hesitant. "If we're leaving, I at least want to _tell_ them that I'm gone. And… on that note, I don't think I want to be off Earth forever."

She raised an eyebrow. "Really? Why? I wasn't _expecting_ you to, but I'm just curious."

"Even _if_ the Titans are brainless (and I can agree with you on that at least,) they're my team. My _Toa_ team. I'm not sure if the others are okay after I left them and all."

"Huh." The alien smirked. "Go figure. Hey, I changed my outfit back. The gaudy purple just wasn't doing it for me."

Lewa sighed. "Fine by me. You're right- we should go."

"I like the way you _think_, boy," Blackfire grinned evilly, jumping out of a guest room window and flying off into the distance.

* * *

On the roof, Starfire wasn't doing so hot. It was later that night, and she was moping on the roof of Titans Tower, staring sadly into the distance. As waves crashed into the rocks below the Tower, letting up foam and steam, she walked slowly to the raised edge and stood up on it, letting herself be illuminated by the full moon. The girl was carrying a small pink backpack with an overdose of glitter by the shoulder straps; with this and the pained, defeated look on her face, one could pretty easily tell that she was about to run away.

Starfire shrugged the backpack onto her shoulders and sighed. "She will be a better Titan than _I_ ever was."

She lifted off the roof, leaving Titans Tower and the Teen Titans behind forever.

"Were you just going to leave without saying _goodbye_?"

Oh wait. It seemed Robin had been standing on the roof as well.

He stepped out and looked at her, concern very clearly evident. That was rare for someone who had been trained by the Batman. Starfire could just not look him in the eye and confirm this- instead; she hung her head low and floated back down, posture not as straight as it once was. Her knees were half-buckled and the backpack was beginning to slide from her shoulders. For a moment, the two stay silent. Then Starfire found the courage to raise her head.

"Robin…" she whispered, "I-"

_BREEN_.

A large shadow appeared over the Tower. Starfire gasped while Robin looked over his shoulder to see what was causing it- lo and behold, it seemed to be the same ship that launched the probes. Or at least that's what the Boy Wonder thought. He was just about to ask the short green man on top of the thing why he was here when the flat deck quickly spun around and the alien lashed his right arm at the two. While the purple tentacle did not harm Robin, only pushing him back, it did manage to capture Starfire. Using his clawed left arm, the strange man manipulated the tentacle to wrap around her mouth, dragging her in and gesturing towards the floor. There must have been somebody else piloting. After a short pause, the ship began flying off.

Robin wasn't going to let her get captured again. He got up from where the long appendage had pushed him, sprinted across the roof towards Starfire's edge, and…

l

e

a

p

e

d

off, aiming for the vessel. He didn't have powers, but the Boy Wonder was able to use momentum to his advantage. The alien princess's boots got ever closer, ever so closer… he was just close enough to touch one…

But he missed. Sorry, Robin. The vessel lifted into the air, Starfire's muffled cries ringing out into the night.

* * *

This chapter was supposed to be the same size as any, but it ended up being _double_. Giant-Size Toa Titans, heh. I split it into two for convenience; could care less if it means an extra one.

Oh, big thanks to Zarohk Korobase for the review. It means a lot and I'm hoping I get more.

1. Hey, it's Robbie. What's _he_ doing there? I have no idea.

2. Kiina continues to struggle with the physics of mind control, and I can't blame her for that.

3. The Blackfire sequence makes for a nice mirror to the sequence where Lewa countered her. Why is it never explained how she and the other Titans _got_ to the river?

4. I saw the voice-activated lights joke in a TV show somewhere and I can't remember which.

5. Serious problem with onomatopeia and how I use it. That should be changed.

Read and review!


	36. Sisters V

"Uh, dudes? Is Windflyer _out_ yet?"

"Not that I know of," Cyborg said, now preparing his dinner.

Beast Boy frowned. "But that _never_ happens. Sure, he's _really _protective of his weapons, but you'd think he wouldn't spend _fifteen minutes_ just _looking_ at them!"

"I guess you're right. Come to think of it, Star, Rob, and B aren't back either."

"Do you think we should go look for them?"

Cyborg chuckled a bit. "Nah, no need to worry. Blackfire's got this _all_ under control."

"Blackfire has _not_ 'got this all under control'."

The two turned to see an angry Raven in the doorway. "Quite the opposite, actually. She's got _everything_ under control. Even stuff we didn't know of."

"Like…"

"I think she's kidnapped Windflyer," Raven intoned, scowling.

"_What?_"

"Dude, _seriously_?"

The witch sighed. "If it makes you feel any better, it wasn't his fault. Not completely."

Cyborg growled. "You're implying he _left?_"

"No. Blackfire must have convinced him to go with her."

"Why didn't you tell us about this, Rae?"

"Because…" Raven looked down and scoffed the carpet. "I had no choice. My powers-"

"Are creepy, right? No problem." Cyborg walked over to Raven and smiled. "I couldn't care less. Now _how_ did you say you knew this?"

Raven was smiling now, although not much. "I could sense her aura. It was bad. Real bad. Cyborg, you shouldn't ask people to randomly join our team anymore."

"Why?" Beast Boy asked. "Because you're afraid they'll mess us up?"

"Pretty much," she rasped, taking out her communicator. "I'm going to call Robin just in case."

A short pause as the girl attempted to reach him-

"_Raven?_"

"Robin? You… okay?"

"_No_," Robin glared. "_This isn't the right time. Kinda in a life-or-death situation up here_."

"Where _are_ you?"

The Boy Wonder tilted his communicator as best as he could, showing the three Titans his view. He appeared to be on a metallic ship, hanging on its underside. In the distance, faint grunts and struggling could be heard.

The Titans were speechless.

"Dude," Beast Boy said, "you're not going to ask us to help you?"

"_Again, not the right time. I might be catapulted into space any moment now._"

"But you'd…"

"_Don't bring it up, Cy. I worked with Batman, after all. I _must_ be able to breathe in space._" Everyone laughed, while Robin gained a determined look. "_Nobody's taking her away._"

_BZZT._

Raven's eyes widened. "Wait- Robin! Who- _uugh_. Whatever. Let's go after him."

"Titans! GO!"

The others glared at Cyborg. He shrugged. "What? I'm his deputy."

* * *

Qarvasse Mortenze had actually _caught_ something.

For the first time in a _long_ time, he and his crew were going to close a case. Receive accolades, at that. Kumiand'r had done a _lot_ of damage to the economy by stealing a moon diamond, and the scandal was big enough that the backlash and press coverage would potentially make the team rich.

It was all he had not to jump off and skydive giddily into the abyss below.

The moon rose above the ship, soft white light obscured by drifting clouds. As Qarvasse Mortenze stood on the deck, handling controls, Vega prepared documents for the arrest and further trial. The criminal wasn't making too much fuss, but the Centauri was afraid she would blast out in a rage and ruin everything- it was how she had blitzed the Gordanians, after all. Qarvasse Mortenze decided to trigger the force field; he reached down to a button on the control panel, pressing it and watching as a green force field wrapped around the poor girl in front of him. She could only scream and struggle now. That was better.

"Prepare to leave Earth orbit, sir," Vega called. "We have the Tamaranean girl."

"Yeah, sure." Qarvasse Mortenze grinned in sheer joy, turning to Starfire. "Once we get back to Centauri, you're gonna pay for everythin' _big time_! _BIG TIME_!"

"My friend stays here!"

Qarvasse Mortenze looked around confusingly. Who was-

Suddenly, a brightly coloured shape vaulted onto the deck, landing in front of the police chief.

"Wrong_, _kid," Qarvasse grumbled. "Dead _wrong_."

He roared and charged at the kid, lashing at him with his tentacle- it was easily dodged. He tried to roundhouse him, but that attack was avoided too. Mortenze huffed a bit and concentrating, changing his right arm into a- a _laser gun?_

"Multipurpose attack weapon, straight from the Registry on Centaurus Prime!" the Centauri said, shooting a series of bright laser blasts at his opponent. Unfortunately, these were also leaped over, with consequences- some of the blasts hit Kumand'r's shield, bouncing off unharmed but damaging it a bit. Mortenze charged Robin again, swinging at him with his gun, but he hit the field instead (causing it to crackle) and left himself unguarded for the boy's next attack. It was a punch, powerful enough to make a dent in his uniform and push him back.

Taking advantage of the Centauri's paralysis, Robin rushed an empty spot on the side of the deck, by the ship's engines. He couldn't keep this up forever, but if Starfire were to be okay, he would have to-

Another tentacle came barreling towards him. The Boy Wonder deftly dodged it, deflecting the bioorganic appendage off of his cape and sending it straight into the mechanism, which soon caught fire-

"_Crap!_"

The craft began to fall.

"Crap crap crap crap CRAP!"

It tilted from the force, sending Vega crashing to the ground. They couldn't fight now. Not when his _ride_ was at risk!

As the _Ursa Major_ plunged through the clouds, skimming and just barely missing a bank on the Morrison River, Qarvasse Mortenze began to panic.

"What the _hell_, kid?" he screeched in outrage. "I can't control this thing!"

"I can try."

Robin scampered across the uneven deck with much precision, grasping on to the control panel and pressing the button, deactivating the forcefield. The ship dropping ever closer to the river, he began peeling the tentacles off Starfire.

"Robin!" she squealed, both in joy and trepidation.

Robin narrowed his eyes. "Come on!"

The two reached out and grabbed each other's hands, then leaped off the deck just before the ship bore down on its nose and-

_WHUMMM! (Last one. I promise.)_

Crashed into the riverbank, doing so with so much force that it skidded in the mud for a considerable distance, pitching up much debris, before stopping at a fork and tumbling into the river on its deck. The Titans were unharmed- Starfire had caught Robin, carrying him safely to the ground before landing herself.

"Star! Robin!"

Suddenly, Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Raven rushed up to them.

"You guys okay?" Cyborg asked with concern.

"I am fine," Starfire replied. "But I fear-"

Her fears were seemingly proven to be true. Qarvasse Mortenze and Vega stood up shakily, smoke and bits of mud pouring up from the craft.

"You little _brats,_" Qarvasse growled. Startled, the Titans braced for attack.

"Titans! Get ready!"

The police chief stared them down before finally narrowing his eyes. "I'm _Qarvasse Mortenze_, chief of the Centauri Force," he said, pulling out a badge, "and in the name of the Grand Centauri Empire, you're all under arrest."

It did not seem real, but he in fact _did_ hold a genuine badge. The Titans were stunned by its shininess.

Beast Boy raised an eyebrow. "Uh… _you_ can't be the good guys. _We're_ the good guys."

"And _we're_ the friggin' _police!_"

"The Tamaranean girl is a liar and a thief," Vega continued, calming Mortenze down and pointing to Starfire. "She's committed high crimes throughout the entire Centauri system."

Starfire gaped. "I have never even _been_ to the Centauri moons!" Then she frowned. Both her and Robin looked at her necklace, sharing a gaze before Robin nodded knowingly.

He took off Blackfire's gift and held it up to Qarvasse Mortenze and Vega. "But I know someone who has."

It took a moment of staring into the Centauri moon diamond before Starfire realized she had been framed. Someone was trying to put her in _jail!_ She gasped in shock; Robin addressed the policemen. He seemed to have the same suspicions.

"You've been chasing the wrong girl," the Boy Wonder said. He threw the necklace into the water, watching as Vega picked it up with a tentacle, then turned to his team. "Where's Blackfire? And Windflyer, for that matter?"

"We think she got him to leave with her," Raven said. "But I'm not sure where they've gone-"

"Uh…"

Beast Boy was pointing into the clouds nonchalantly. Sure enough, a tiny green shape was zooming through them, away from the city.

"Don't worry, Star. She won't get away with this."

"No."

Starfire looked away for a moment before flashing back, eyes deeply green with fury.

"She WILL _NOT!_"

The Tamaranean took off, now very much enraged with her sister.

* * *

Blackfire and her captive floated high in the atmosphere. It wouldn't be long now before Kory was arrested and they'd be home free. Kumi just had to stay as quiet as she could…

"I think we should go back," Windflyer said. "Something bad happened down there. Can't let it be not-touched."

"No, it's fine. We'll keep going, thanks…"

She chuckled nervously. The Toa stared at her incredulously before something cracked and his eyes narrowed.

"Did you… did you _dupe_ me?"

Blackfire frowned. "What do you mean, did I dupe you?"

"You're acting like that was important. You're running away from it, hiding it; were you actually trying to…"

"I didn't do-"

"You _DUPED_ me!"

"No!" she yelled. "I did nothing, you idiot! Stop complaining and let's _go!_"

"No way," Windflyer hissed, eyes glowing. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me _why_ you hid everything."

"Not on your _life._"

The Toa scowled. "Tell me _NOW!_ Before I have to _beat _you in the process!"

Blackfire scoffed. "Try. I won't budge."

"Very well then." Windflyer raised a fist to attack. "I don't like this any more than _you_ do, but I _NEED_ to know! _Why_ did you let your sister be captured? Did you think her a _fool_? A useless pest, slave to a higher force?"

"I thought her nothing."

"Just as I thought," he said. "Go back to Earth and _apologize_ to her lest I raise my Air Sabre and-"

"Hello, _sister_."

He and Blackfire turned to this new arrival.

"Greetings, Windflyer."

"I'm sorry, Tanika," he murmured. The apology did nothing. Starfire was still plenty irate.

Blackfire smiled sweetly. "Aaww, you're mad! I know, I know, I _should_ have told you we were leaving, but you _know_ how I hate goodbyes and-"

"You are a _criminal_, and you were going to depart with Lewa and let me take your place in _jail_!"

"Oh." The elder frowned. "Well… yeah."

Starfire leaned into her face; Blackfire was quick to lean back.

"You will give _back_ what you have stolen," Starfire growled, "and turn yourselves over to the police!"

"And what will you do if we _don't_?"

She had no answer to this; her mouth merely hung open. Blackfire laughed and produced a starbolt, shooting it in her face and sending her tumbling to the ground.

"I always _was_ the better fighter," the evil alien said triumphantly.

"Not anymore!"

Starfire touched down safely, righted herself, and shot back up. Blackfire warmed up more starbolts, burning Windflyer a bit, then scowled at him.

"I actually don't think I need you anymore," she whispered.

"Good, because I didn't _want_ to- _Hey!_"

She threw the Toa out of her arms casually and began shooting a barrage of starbolts at her sister. Starfire dodged them all, talented enough that she was not even getting her hair burnt, picked up the falling Windflyer, and prepared a counterattack, a starbolt-infused fist which caught Blackfire's hand and snuffed out the one she herself had created. Blackfire scoffed at the attempt, chuckling all the while… even as Starfire rose up in front of her, Windflyer on her shoulder, both hands holding starbolts and eyes burning as brightly as they could. Despite the spectacle, the black-haired beauty could not help but smile.

"How _pathetic_. You _really_ think you can aaaaaAAAAHH LET _GO_ OF MEEE!"

A Centauri tentacle had whipped in from behind and was now tying her in place. That shut the girl up. Both Starfire and Windflyer turned to look at its cause; one that the Titans were somewhat apathetic about, but Blackfire was downright terrified to see.

"Kumiand'r of Tamaran? You're under arrest for 77 counts of violence, arson, murder, adultery, rape, robbery, yada yada yada. I _got_ ya. Come on, ya little _skank_."

As Qarvasse Mortenze drew Blackfire on to the ship, Starfire smiled at her nervously, as if hesitant. She even waved. "Farewell, sister! Although you _did_ betray and attack me, it was… still very nice to see you!"

Blackfire growled right back. "Next time it won't _be_ so 'nice'. I _will_ get out of jail, little sister and friend, and I _WILL_ get even!"

Starfire and Windflyer looked down on her wearily. The Toa flinched as she blew him a kiss.

Starfire smiled. "I accept your apology. I know you did not mean to leave us like that."

"Actually… I kind of _did_. Kranika had a point. I'm betraying my brothers' trust by staying here."

"You could go back at any time you wish. Your planet has not been destroyed, yes?"

"I…" Windflyer frowned. "I don't _know_."

"Lewa Nuva of Spherus Magna?" a voice called.

"Yeah, that's me. Why would you-? _gak!_"

Another tentacle had pulled him in. Lewa was a tad nervous, but he did not want to show it on his face. The Centauri quickly returned his mask.

"You're under arrest…"

"Oh… oh no. Why?"

Vega smiled. "Take it easy, sir. We mean no harm. You are just under arrest for one count of disrupting authority, one count of using insulting language, two counts of deliberate obstruction, and-"

"And five _hundred_ counts of not givin' us your autograph!"

The two Titans gaped.

"Um- okay, sirs, you can take me in. No issue-"

Qarvasse slapped Lewa on the back. He flinched. "Are you _dense?_ Are you _retarded_ or somethin'? You're Lewa _freakin'_ Nuva! We're not just gonna _arrest_ you!"

"But I've committed a crime," the Toa noted.

"Nothing too serious. You'll just need to pay a fine."

"And I don't have any money."

"Then sign our crap, man!" Qarvasse Mortenze gestured to Vega, who produced a few papers- arrest warrants. "Just slap your Hancock down on these babies and we'll be all set."

"If you insist," Lewa sighed; signing everything they gave to him. When he finished, Qarvasse presented the two with his badge.

"'Preciate the help, kids," he said. "Not every day we get civilian assistance."

"But we are not civilians. We are the Teen Titans."

"Titans, Schmitans, same thing. Certainly don't look like titans ta me." The Centauri chuckled. "Ah, whatever. At least the alien's sister is pretty smokin'. You're in my good books now, you two." He threw Lewa a card. "If you need any help taking care of interstellar crap-"

"The Centauri Force's a good call," Vega finished blandly. "We should go, sir."

"Yep. Can't leave Queenie waitin'. See ya around!"

The ship lifted into the air, turning to leave Earth. Starfire and Windflyer retaliated by floating back down. The Toa sighed in relief. It was a good thing _that_ was over-

"_One _more _thing!_"

It was Blackfire.

"What do you want?" he yelled hesitantly.

"_You were wondering about your brothers, right?_" Nod, even though she couldn't see it. "_Well, Spherus Magna has been-"_

"Been? Been _WHAT_? Kranika? _Blackfire_?"

Too late.

It can't have been anything _good_. And both of the Titans knew that.

* * *

Needless to say, the catapult attempt did not go very well. Pohatu was still very much stuck in the ice. Tahu was about ready to give up.

"Maybe we should go find Kopaka first," Gali suggested.

"No. He would not want to see us. Leave him be."

Onua frowned. "Still a valuable member of our team."

"No matter," Tahu said. He sighed. "Do what you may. I will remain here and see to our… suffocated brother."

"_I'm okay! I'm okay! I just feel a little… _constricted_, is all!_"

The Nuva had to laugh at this.

"Very well, Tahu," Gali said, smiling warmly. "Just… do not get yourself _too_ worked up about this. Lewa can take care of himself."

"But… to what extent?"

"Of that even _I_ am not sure," Onua added.

"_It had better be something reasonable_," Pohatu said, voice still heavily muffled, "_or we'll all be sunk_."

* * *

It was sunrise. Windflyer sat on the edge of the roof, watching as bright orange light reflected off the water and the wind blew against his mask. He played around with it a bit, sending it in different directions, but the game did no good. The Toa was still heavily anxious about Blackfire's warning.

The most obvious explanation was that Spherus Magna was fine, and unharmed. But Lewa knew it couldn't be true. The Gordanians had messed everything up in their bombing spree. That would mean that it had been destroyed, and…

No, it wouldn't do to overthink this too much. He'd helped arrest a known space criminal, even if his contribution was minor, and that made him feel more than a little good about himself.

He was sending a gust over the waves when the door to the roof opened and somebody stepped out.

"Windflyer? Are you well?"

"More than a few bruises," he joked, "but I'll be ever-fine."

Starfire smiled and sat down beside him, rising sun bathing her in light. "Yes. I know your _physical_ condition is satisfactory, but I was more so concerned about your mental…"

"It's all about Spherus Magna, really."

"You feel you will never be able to go back?"

He sighed. "Yeah. I made a contract here when I helped you guys, and I'm probably never going to be able to break it. Do you think my brothers and sister are worried about me?"

"I would not be surprised," Starfire said. "It was not that readily apparent due to my anger, but… I, too, was worried about my sister. And I still hold hope that she was worried about me as well."

"Probably is, if only a bit. Karzahni, I'm pretty sure Blackfire is exactly the same as Kopaka-brother, right down to the ambiguous hatred."

Starfire giggled but soon grew concerned. "I must ask you a question, friend Windflyer, for I am curious. Throughout my sister's visit, you showed much attraction towards her. She spent more time with you than any other, and it is not the stretch to say that the feeling was mutual. Thus, when you and her made the decision to… explode the stand of popsicles… did you do so purposefully? Or did she use your bond to exploit you into doing so? Or did you not wish to incite the rekmas-"

"Sister-"

"Or- or did a fearsome xingerhort consume your mind, feeding it to darkness? If that is the case, we must make haste to Raven before-"

"_Sister!_"

Windflyer exhaled, Starfire looking at him expectantly. He coughed a bit then began. "Will it hurt you if I say I wasn't doing it for you?"

She frowned. "A little. Why must you ask?"

"Because I apologize. Look… Kranika made me _angry_, okay? I couldn't _believe_ that someone was getting away with all that- kidnapping, intrusion, and emotional manipulation- _ugh_. To use a colloquial Earth term, I was pissed."

"Does that mean to imply that-" Starfire raised an eyebrow.

"_No!_ No! I did not _literally_- let's just say I was incensed. Really, really incensed.

"Tanika- Starfire- I've known you for a while now. You've been a great friend and companion. And I can honestly say that I consider you a Toa-sister by _far_. But… by extension, Blackfire is my Toa-sister as well. And if Kopaka, Pohatu, Gali, Tahu, or... heck- even _Onua_- were to go off and do something like that…"

"You would never be able to forgive them," Starfire finished, nodding slowly. "I admire you greatly for your determination. Truly... before a while ago, I would not have had the courage to do something like that myself.

"And that was because…"

"For a very long time, I had always been… _afraid_ of my sister. Once, on Tamaran, I admired her too. She knew the hip games and the cool moves and she loved me and she did not hesitate to tell those who opposed me to put themselves where the suns' rays did not shine.

"But things change," Starfire yearned. "She soon grew jealous of me, because I was first in line for the throne. I could fly while she could not. Personally I find this a very invalid reason, as I feel Blackfire would be a very capable ruler. More to the point, though…

"She became cold-hearted and mean and _definitely_ not nice. If she has not told you yet, part of the reason I was banished was because she felt eliminating me would give her a greater chance at becoming empress. And I cannot blame her. I _could_ not blame her. I would have loved for her to receive more attention."

"So what happened?" Windflyer asked. "What exactly changed?"

"Well… firstly, I had not realized that she did not exactly care for my input. I had originally planned to go _back_ to Tamaran and take revenge, because her plan disturbed me so, but that obviously did not happen.

"If I knew what I do now, I would not have hesitated to stay on your planet with you. But the thought of retribution clouded my mind. Thankfully it vanished when I joined the Titans. I did not feel any reason to go after her, as fighting crime with you all calmed me down tenfold."

"But then she came back."

"But then _she_ came back. And I suddenly felt like I wanted to _destroy_ my sister again… however, she had 'good intentions'. Good intentions that I falsely believed. She had gotten into much harm, and was looking for support. She needed to lead. So I begrudgingly allowed her to interact with the Titans, even if it pained me to do so; even when she was keeping you all to herself and not allowing me to do anything in a group at all. Then the probes attacked, and Robin and I remembered that Blackfire had gone through Centauri's moons and not me… I finally realized…

"She didn't give a Gukko's foot about you," Windflyer finished.

"Yes. Kumiand'r was using me, like she was using all of you. She did not care if I was hurt or injured. She only wanted to benefit herself. Normally I would accept this decision, but…" Starfire sighed. "She is my _sister_. It is my _duty_ to help her."

Windflyer grinned. "It's everyone's duty to help their siblings. Except when they're filthy lying cheats, that is."

The two laughed at this. Discussion over, they settled down and enjoyed the sunrise. Suddenly, the door opened again.

"Hey," Robin said, sitting down by them. "Everything okay?"

"We have been… sad for my sister."

"And for yourself?"

Starfire looked at Robin bitterly. "I am just glad the truth was discovered before I was replaced."

Windflyer frowned. "Wait, you thought… you thought she was _serious?_"

"She certainly _seemed_ very serious."

"Well, Blackfire told me she only came here to 'f*** with you'. Guess it was just a big white lie."

"What are you _talking_ about?" Robin asked incredulously.

"Well… you…" Starfire dropped her head. "Everyone was having such _fun_ with her, and then Cyborg said-"

"Look." The Boy Wonder put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Your sister was… interesting, but Windflyer's right. She was lying. She could _never_ take your place. _No one_ could ever take your place."

Robin smiled; Starfire returned with an answering grin. She understood. Windflyer could not help but smile also. As the sun rose higher in the sky, the three heroes talked. And that was all. (Oh, and their shadows stretched across the roof, but nobody ever cares about _that_.)

* * *

Part 2 of Giant-Sized Toa Titans!

The April Fools' joke sucked. I know. There's been a lot of hubbub over the new DC Nation shows and Cartoon Network lately and I figured I might as well channel that into my story. No big deal really.

Moving on:

1. Same comment as before. We don't know everything. Also OOOOH FORESHADOWING OOOOOH

2. The Centauri Force are all very cool characters and I would like to use them again sometime. Maybe in another story where they go on sexy space cop adventures. We will have to see.

3. I hope you understand Lewa's reasoning over hating Blackfire. It's one of the moments in the episode, and indeed the entire show, I've thought over a lot. Guess that's probably a good thing.

_Final Exam _next! Hopefully, it's not as long as before. Read and review!


	37. Final Exam I

**Can** **I just ask something real quick? Nothing too serious, really. It's about reviews.**

**I understand some stories will get more reviews than others. They're better written, they're better composed, they're in categories that are better known. But you'd at least think that every story would at least get _some_ form of acknowledgement.**

**This probably sounds whiny and pretentious, and I agree. It's jealous panhandling. But hear me out.**

**I find it really disheartening when stories get tons of reviews per chapter and I'm not even able to scrounge up _one._ (No offense to you, Zahrok Korobase. You are a gentleman and a scholar.)**

**It's not that I wish my story would be more known. I'm fine with the exposure I have. Is it too much to ask, though, to have people comment on and criticize it?**

**Storywriting is a team effort, honestly, and no team effort is complete without input from both sides. Most of the time it feels like I'm doing this all myself. And that makes me sad.**

**I would really, really appreciate getting some feedback on Toa Titans. Proofreading, flaming, even baseless praise if it comes to it. Just to reassure me that I'm justified in posting here. And hey, if you choose to ignore this and keep reading, that's fine too, so long as you tell me.**

**No hard feelings, readers. I love everyone who takes the time out to look at this shit. But I ask that you take the time out to review this shit too. ****Just saiyan'.**

**/endrant**

**TL;DR: I WANT SOME REVIEWS GOD DAMNIT **

**Now, back to the story...**

* * *

"Mister Slade."

"Miss Fairsworth."

Two houses, once torn apart by strife, now reunited with a common goal. A goal that was heavily tilted in House Wilson's favour, true, but it would be trite to say that neither had any drive to kill the Teen Titans.

Wintergreen did not have to wait long before Slade appeared. He made his return dramatically, appearing in a haze of smoke and accompanied by a cache of robots. However, Deathstroke seemed to be all style and no substance; when he sat down to meet with the HIVE headmistress, he barely gave her a glare at all. And Lillian reacted the exact same way.

She clasped her hands and smiled falsely. "How go things?"

"Well," Slade intoned, putting his head down.

"Your sons? Daughter?"

"Well… as well."

"Ah. That's nice to hear." Fairsworth's gaze suddenly hardened, her smile dropping. "Alright, Mr. Slade. Wintergreen told me you had a job for the Top Graduates?"

"Yes."

"What does it entail? I know the basics, but I cannot trust that oaf for certain."

Wintergreen growled. "I am not an oaf."

"I am sure. Ms. Fairsworth, I regret to tell you that he's right… but not completely. I will tell you everything if I deem your agents up to snuff."

"As will I. A lot has changed since you left HIVE, Mr. Wilson," Lillian said, getting up.

Slade frowned. "Enough for me to not follow through on my contract?"

"I would _hope_ not. Blood really misses you."

"Does he still hope to succeed me as Principal?"

Fairsworth shook her head. "I am afraid he has. He probably believes he can get more out of you, though. The Wilsons being successful and all that."

Wilson got out and followed the woman away, Wintergreen doddering behind.

"And he will," Slade finally said. "Wintergreen! Tell Ms. Fairsworth the coordinates to the warehouse. She will want to see it."

"You sure Lillian will mind the… _construction, _sir?"

"A part of me hopes not. A part of me hopes she assists us in finishing it."

The Headmistress raised an eyebrow. "And this something is…"

"Nothing you need to know for now." Slade said, lifting Wintergreen up to the coordinates panel. He smiled darkly. "However, if it works, you never will."

"Chromium?" she returned sharply.

"Clever. Yes, that's what I intend."

Wintergreen scowled as Slade entered the teleporter. "Don't you mean _we?_"

"Shush."

_BZZT._

Fairsworth beamed. "You have made something of worth again, Slade."

"Yes. So I have."

* * *

_Takanuva_.

That was all Jaller Mahri could think about. Suffice to say, he did not know why he did. The golden-skinned being was his master, and that was that. Someone must have been messing with his psyche.

Well…

Not entirely.

He knew he wasn't _really_ there, that he and the other Mahri had been reduced to pawns of this monster, but some part of him was resisting that. _Insisting_ that he continue serving. And the Fire Toa didn't know why.

Takanuva.

Why couldn't he get that name out of his head?

The "Skakdi Fusion", as Jaller had personally nicknamed him, must have noticed his distress, for he turned to the Toa and began to growl.

"SERVANT!" he barked. "WHAT IS THE ISSUE?"

"N… nothing, master."

The fusion narrowed his eyes. "NONSENSE. I SEE YOU THINKING ABOUT OTHER THINGS. THEY ARE NOT HEALTHY."

"Master…"

_Takanuva_.

"DISREGARD. YOU WILL NOW GET BACK TO WORK."

With what little power he could scrounge back, Jaller looked to his friends sadly. Being under the influence of the golden-skinned being, their gazes were hardened, focused only on work; however, if he squinted, he could just make out a tinge of sympathy behind them. A glimmer of hope.

Takanuva.

Jaller Mahri was finally able to squint today.

_TAKUA!_

_VROOM!_

"_BACK OFF, BASTICHES!_"

* * *

_SSSSSSSSSSSSS_

_(A school crest appeared on a TV. The field was a hexagonal tessellation, black and white checkers surrounded by a golden border. In its middle, a large gold H had been superimposed- on the bottom, a white banner with the acronym H.A.E.Y.P. A square corridor with golden walls, ceiling, and floor, all done up in a honeycomb pattern, appeared behind it. A calm, smooth female voice, slightly hardened by stress- Fairsworth's- began narrating.)_

The HIVE Academy for Extraordinary Young People is proud to introduce…

_(In front of the crest, a platform rose up. Three teenagers standing on it blocked the whole thing entirely.)_

This year's Top Graduates.

_(The trio deftly jumped off the platform, two standing out of the way and leaving a third to fend for himself.)_

Gizmo- the boy genius whose intellect can conquer any problem with an inventive solution.

_(Gizmo was a short, bald boy looking very much like Doctor Octopus, right down to the mechanical legs, highly controllable jumpsuit, and goggles that the good doctor so frequently wore. _

_He reached down to a panel on the front of the leg controls, pressed a button, and grinned evilly as two metal wings shot out. Taking control of two handlebars that appeared on the panel, Gizmo flew away as lasers began shooting at him. They aimed well, but the mad scientist was faster- he was able to avoid them all, pressing another button which brought up a small missile launcher to destroy the guns completely. Gizmo finally landed on the original platform and glided away as two giant robots emerged from portals._)

Jinx- the enchanting sorceress whose powerful hexes mean bad luck for her enemies.

_(Jinx was a slim girl who had a figure that revealed much less than it should have, in more ways than one. She wore a draping black dress that hung off her shoulder, blue ruffles, black and blue-striped stockings, black combat boots with blue soles, and pendant helping to accentuate her outfit._ _Jinx wore her lavender hair in a strange upturned hairdo that also reminded one of a fictional character, in this case Satan. Catlike purple eyes, a nose ring, and earrings contrasted greatly with her brown skin. _

_Jinx extended her arms out and twirled a few times, releasing a stream of hot pink energy not unlike Raven's into two walls and causing them to break apart. She flipped off the platform as they crashed into the heads of the robots Gizmo had lured as well as two more who had emerged. Jinx smirked at her handiwork and backflipped down the corridor.)_

And Mammoth- the genetically enhanced giant whose unstoppable strength really speaks for itself.

_(Mammoth… well… the name says it all. He was a tall, stocky fellow with a long mop of ragged brown hair and a smaller but similarly composed beard. A black wifebeater and tight stretch pants illustrated his massive muscles, studded gold wristbands and ankle bands on their ends. Completing the ensemble were more golden bands that crossed his chest and wrapped around his shoulders. If one were to make fun of him for being a person of colour, they would probably find themselves being torn in half._

_Three large laser cannons popped out of the floor and began shooting at Mammoth, but he simply bended their barrels as if he was a "mindfreak" bending a spoon. Mammoth roared, tore them all from their moorings, and threw them away like a discus. The cannons skidded across the rubber floor for a bit before exploding. The massive man smiled at his handiwork before a robot came up to him and suddenly trapped his muscles in its similarly sized grasp. Gizmo quickly responded by jumping onto the robot's back, attaching a small box to the metal, and flying off and watching as it burrowed into the chassis and sparked, sending off a huge puff of smoke. He had hotwired it out of commission.)_

Well organized, highly trained, and combat-equipped…

_(Tired of the robot's nagging, Mammoth took hold of the robot and threw it off, causing the chassis to collapse. Gizmo landed in a crouch beside him and ran off, while Jinx ran to Mammoth, acrobatically jumped onto his behemoth hand, and was caught by the foot and boosted into a quick series of backflips that lasted the full length of the corridor.)_

These new HAEYP agents are the perfect fighting force.

_(Being phonetically inclined, the narrator pronounced this like "hype". It is not immediately noticeable here, so whatever._

_A battalion of laser guns emerged from the corridor walls, shooting wildly at a still flipping Jinx. She smiled, concentrated, and watched as each side blew the other to bits. Landing with her back to the cameraman, the enchantress surveyed her handiwork. Gizmo and Mammoth lined up on either side of her. The HIVE Trio then posed as a team, because shit just got real.)_

And for the right price, this ideal team could be yours.

_SSSSSSSSSSSSS__SSSSSSSSSSSSS__SSSSSSSSSSSSS__SSSSSSSSSSSSS__SSSSSSSSSSSSS__SSSSSSSSSSSSS__SSSSSSSSSSSSS__SSSSSSSSSSSSS__SSSSSSSSSSSSS_

The video ended, static soon fading into the HIVE crest overlaid on a black field. Fairsworth, now sporting a severely dark dress with a golden honeycomb emblem on one sleeve, stepped forward again. She beamed.

"Well, Mister Slade?"

Slade leaned on a railing which itself was on an elevated platform a few meters away, obscured by shadows. Wisps of smoke rose to cover him more. That was the beauty of the Tanghal Industrial Complex.

The assassin smiled, although you couldn't see it. "Impressive. Truly." Then he frowned. "However, robots and obstacle courses can only prove so much."

The monitor the two had been watching was one of many in a row, installed over an overhanging platform on which the Headmistress stood. Slade gestured to her, leading his prospective commission away from it towards the clockwork machinery.

"My plans demand operatives who can function in the real world," Slade said as they walked, stepping onto a catwalk. "If your students are going to serve me…"

Slade and Fairsworth finally reached a greatly darkened area, lit only by a couple of spotlights. While the Top Graduates stood in one, the woman took another. She looked at Wilson, who remained in the void, with a pleading smile on her face.

"They'll have to pass one final exam." He gestured to- "Wintergreen. Help them destroy the Teen Titans, and _then_ we'll talk."

The butler stepped into the spotlight. "Y-yes. Right away, sir…"

The spotlights suddenly dimmed, Ms. Fairsworth bowing before hers was extinguished. Slade's armour, reflecting the moonlight on his eye, was eerily the last thing visible, and soon it too was shut off.

"Right away."

* * *

In the library, Robin, Starfire, and Windflyer perused a few books the Titans, mainly Raven, had purchased.

"I'm bored," Windflyer groaned.

"You don't enjoy any of these?"

"They're _okay…_ but I'd rather go out and wind-fly or something."

Starfire gasped in shock, floating into the air. "How could you _say_ that? Reading is a joyous and glorious action!" She clasped her hands and sighed dreamily. "I would never have expected books to take you to such _wondrous_ places."

"I know," the Toa admitted, "and I agree. Honestly, though… if you'll allow me to use tree-speak… large-time spent-read. Prefer-much part-take in some-other."

The Titans gaped at the strange tongue. Robin shrugged. "If you prefer. I'm gonna stay here and keep at it. Least until it gets a bit cooler."

"I must agree with friend Robin, Windflyer," Starfire said.

Windflyer sighed. "Then I guess I'll stay too. Just let me… I've been wondering about Spherus Magna, actually," he mused.

"Your home planet? What of it?"

"If I could get back there."

Starfire suddenly shot up. "If I may… recently I recalled the concept of space travel. It is a bit… _complicated_ to master, but if Cyborg could build a ship properly-"

"Oh, man, that's so cool!" Robin grinned. "Batman always talked about traveling up there when I was a kid, to fight baddies in the stars- wait, am I interrupting?"

"Not at all! I find your enjoyment of the interstellar quite adorable! But yes, I suppose you are." She coughed. "Allow me to explain. Most vehicles cannot travel in space, due to the lack of air and oxygen. Their engines require combustion and that will not happen without such. However, if one were to use _noncombustible_ propulsion, such as blasters-"

"_BEAST BOY!_"

The three paled.

"_WHERE THE HECK IS THE REMOTE?"_

"_That_ doesn't sound good," Windflyer noted.

"Yeah. I don't expect much of it, but… I'm actually feeling kinda hungry. Sorry for cutting off your speech, Star."

"No worries, friend Robin!" Starfire said, beaming. "I shall accompany you to the centre of operations. Might you want to come to, Windflyer?"

"Yeah, sure. Let's get there before Raven busts a gasket."

"That implies Raven even has a gasket to _blow_," Robin laughed as he exited the library.

"Wait. I am puzzled. Do you mean to imply that humans have said gaskets somewhere on their bodies…"

* * *

"Aw, MAN! Come _on!_"

Chores obviously hadn't been done in a while. The kitchen sink _and_ counter had been piled up with terrifyingly dirty dishes, and the floor around it was strewn with mounds of garbage. It was not a stretch to say the rooms weren't too much better.

"It's _gotta_ be around here _some_where!"

An emerald bloodhound trotted up to a mound and sniffed at it, recoiling in disgust. Suddenly, he heard someone groan. Turning to the source, the bloodhound found a metallic man dancing around the utterly ruined room, picking up pieces of furniture and shaking them violently. He mentally shrugged and went back to sniffing. No skin off his nose. Nearby, a girl in a robe sat on a stool and read a book.

"I don't BELIEVE this, Beast Boy!" Cyborg growled. "How could you lose _the_ _remote?_"

"What makes you so sure I lost it?" Beast Boy mockingly returned, becoming a human again and rummaging through the trash.

The man leaned into his face and raised an eyebrow. "Uh… 'cause you're you?"

"_Hey_! Just because I lost that video game-"

Cyborg reddened, almost steaming, and began counting off on his fingers. "And the toothpaste… and my football, and the waffle iron…"

"Things disappear," Beast Boy said. "How am _I_ supposed to know where they go?"

Raven, who had been calmly perusing a new book by the kitchen counter, suddenly lowered it and glared at the duo. Her head throbbed in annoyance. She had put up with their arguing many, MANY times before, but now it was getting to be too much.

"Well, how am _I_ supposed to watch TV without a _remote_?"

"Simple," she said icily, getting up and slamming her book shut. "You just get up and change the channel."

The squabbling males suddenly turned to her, puzzled, miffed, and slightly unnerved at the witch's comment.

"Don't even joke like that," Cyborg said softly.

"I wasn't _joking._"

"Good, because it wasn't funny! Now, either help us look for the remote, or go back to your nasty old book and-"

Raven flushed, grimacing angrily. "This is a pointless argument over a _useless_ device." She began walking away. "You are wasting my energy and disrupting my concentration, what little of it I _have_."

"I'm telling you, I didn't _lose_ it!" Beast Boy yelled. "_You_ were the one watching TV last-"

"And _that_ is the secret to traveling faster than light," Starfire said as the side door opened.

"So if you want to blame someone- look in the mirror, buddy!"

Starfire gasped, while Robin and Windflyer, who had entered the Ops Centre with her, just stared at him blankly.

"Whoa! Take it easy, Titans! Combat practice is this afternoon!"

The alien smiled and began floating towards the kitchen. "We must mend your dispute with the sharing of unhealthy junk foods. I shall fetch them!"

"That's okay," Windflyer said, pulling her down. "I can do it. You stay here and tell me how in _Karzahni_ I'm supposed to replicate that."

"But you would not know where I have kept the remains of the Supreme Ultra Glorg Extreme-"

"I don't need food!"

"Yeah, you do! Because you never seem to stop complaining about MY lifestyle choices!"

"Quiet! _Both_ of you! If we're not careful this team could be severely damaged…"

To the sound of further arguing, Windflyer walked over to the minifridge and bent down to open it. He overheard quite a few remarks about Cyborg and Beast Boy's uncouthness and he was pretty sure there was a jab about him somewhere in the mix as well. _Robin's right_, the Toa thought. _We're _never_ gonna be able to keep ourselves together._

Windflyer opened the fridge, eliciting a slight squeak on its part, and peered inside. There were a few leftovers from last night's "dinner", a jug of milk, a wheel of cheese, and-

_**MOULD!**_

At least, he was pretty _sure_ it was mould!

A thick, _thick_ layer of blue mould moved over everything in sight. Even the bottle of soda that he picked up. And it _screeched_ at him. How was that even _possible? _Had the fridge really not been cleaned in _that_ long?

Recoiling in disgust, Windflyer shrieked and threw a mini cyclone at it.

_SPSLOOSH!_

The fridge was blown up, the eerie creation saved by the shielding properties of the Toa's attack. The others were not so lucky. As soon as the cyclone dissipated, it tore apart from the force and landed on them in little pieces. The entire Ops Centre was covered in blue alien parts. Robin, the most distraught of the Titans, swept some goo out of his head and sighed.

"Maybe we should just go out for pizza," he said, shaking his head.

* * *

It was midday. The streets were crowded, this being a warm afternoon, and pedestrians filled the sidewalks and parks. However, many dark alleys were unfortunately exempt from this.

In one of said alleys, in a niche behind Kahn Street, HIVE TEAM Alpha and William Wintergreen got to work on their assignment.

Wintergreen donned an old army helmet, took a spiff, and began to pace back and forth. After a few rounds, he suddenly stopped and glared daggers at the HIVE agents.

"Atten-tion!"

Jinx winced and quickly rearranged herself into a neutral stance, giving off a salute in the process. Gizmo and Mammoth did nothing.

"I _said_," Wintergreen growled, "_atten-TION!_"

Gizmo chuckled, causing Mammoth to do so as well. "Why should we honey-eaters listen to _you?_"

"Yeah, you're a real riot," Mammoth roared.

"Because Slade asked you to come here, because the HIVE Headmistress asked you to come here, because _I_ asked you to come here!" The butler glowered at them. "And if you can't do so much as follow _one_ itty-bitty plan, then _I_ might as well consider kicking you out!"

Gizmo and Mammoth were quick to join Jinx. Wintergreen smiled at this display of authority.

"Alright, rookies! Listen up!"

Jinx continued to salute. "Sir, yes, sir!" When Nerd Boy and Big Bones stayed at ready, she harshly edged them with her elbow. Gizmo stared at her incredulously before he realized whom he was talking to; soon, Mammoth did as well.

The newly minted general grinned evilly. "You all know why you are here."

"Not really," Mammoth mumbled.

"Well then, I'll tell you. This is a popular pizza parlour, one that many of the city's residents come to eat at."

Jinx looked outside the alley, to a large pizza-shaped building, and frowned. "Di… Dio's? What? Really?"

"Yes," Wintergreen replied. "What you will find is that the Titans like to come here often. It remains one of their favourites, for reasons I'm not bloody sure why."

"Huh."

Gizmo smiled. "You wonder why a bunch of dunder-heads ever go out for anything when half of the city is out for their skin."

"Well, they're the Teen Titans," Mammoth said. "Everyone loves them."

"I suppose. Listen up then, you lot. By Sl… _my_ calculations, they should be coming by soon. I trust you have a plot to capture them when it happens?"

"No _duh_, Winter_dork_," Jinx scoffed. "Why do you think we _graduated?_"

"_Lousy ungrateful little…_ Very well. Disregard it."

"WHAT?"

"_Why?_"

"Because the Titans are smart. They know someone is after them. Cinderblock and Plasmius mucked up badly enough to clue them in."

"At _least_ give us the chance to try it out!" Mammoth growled, pulling the butler in by his shirt collar.

"You… _will!_" he wheezed. "Just… not now!"

Jinx raised an eyebrow. "When do you have in mind?"

"After my plan works."

"And that'll be…"

Wintergreen beamed. "When we trap them and bring Robin in to Slade for- er- _safekeeping_."

"'For safekeeping'," Gizmo said, laughing. "Riiight."

"Well, to be his apprentice, really. Not much of a difference."

"That's what we'd figured," Jinx said. "Look, mister, will you be so kind enough as to let us _show_ you our plan?"

He nodded. The enchantress gestured to Mammoth, who picked Gizmo up and turned him over, shaking him to release a small scroll from his pack.

"We were going to ambush the sludge-eaters when they weren't looking," Gizmo said wearily, about to throw up. Mammoth thankfully noticed and let him go.

Wintergreen read the scroll and paled. "_Ambush? _Really? _How_ did you say you graduated?"

"Listen up, pal," Jinx growled. "We went through a _lot_ of effort to get here, so don't just up and disregard it because _you_ think ambushing is a bad idea!"

"It isn't! Do you lot not realize that I was with Slade in _Vietnam?_"

The Graduates gaped a bit at this, but did not object. Wintergreen smiled inwardly.

"We were assigned to the… 65th Platoon, I think, which was asked to go into a Vietcong base and steal valuable information. Slade, who'd managed to become our leader in his time with the force, recommended we 'ambush the sludge-eaters when they weren't looking'. That… didn't _go_ very well."

"What exactly happened?"

"Found out. Caught. Imprisoned. I only escaped because Slade helped me out." He shook his head. "Learned a valuable lesson that day, I bloody well did."

"And what does that have to do with us?" Jinx asked. She was getting pretty tired of this man and was only holding back because Slade offered connections.

"Don't attack them outright," Wintergreen finally said. "Wait a bit. See what they're up to. I recommend setting up a trap."

"_I _recommend destroying the dodo-heads," Gizmo countered. "You all agree?"

"_Yeah!_"

"Wait! Don't-"

Jinx smirked, eyes flaring. "Now if you don't mind, Mr. _Wintergreen_, I'll just go and beat those Titans and we can be on our- _oof!_"

_THWACK!_

The hex-using magician suddenly found herself being flung to the wall, courtesy of a well-placed kick. She groaned and looked up only to find Robin staring at her- wait, _ROBIN!?_

This couldn't be Robin. This was some dumb kid in a costume. _Had_ to be.

Jinx couldn't help but laugh. The whole procedure seemed very funny to her. Then she glowered at the boy.

"Who the hell are _you_?"

The boy flinched in mock surprise. "I'm surprised you don't know," he said in a tinny, grating voice. "Ever heard of a guy named Robin?"

"Uh, DUH!" Jinx began glaring daggers. She _really_ didn't like this kid. But he'd given himself up to her pretty easily, from the looks of things.

"Robin" flared his cape like his so-called mentor. "So… repent! You, strange grey-skinned girl, have just been dealt with a criminal smackdown, courtesy of the one, _the_ _only_, _Jaaaason-_"

"_Robin_!"

Jason turned. "Y… yes?"

"Keep your secret identity to _yourself._"

He paled and began walking off. "Sure, B-man."

Everyone paled at this. Batman was right there at the end of the alleyway. _Staring at them._ How long had he BEEN there?

For a moment, nobody could move. Then Gizmo spoke up. "What's _your_ problem, bat-lover?"

Batman narrowed his eyebrows.

"He ain't _lyin'_, Bats," Mammoth growled. "Tell us why you're here!"

"Fighting crime, obviously."

"So why'd you have your lackey kick me down?"

Batman scoffed. "You were going to take the Teen Titans out. I can't allow that."

"Well of _course_ you can't," Jinx grumbled. "But… okay, seriously, do you _honestly_ expect me to believe this pint-size poser is _Robin?_" She barely held in a guffaw. "Sounds pretty fishy to me."

"He is."

"And the Robin in the T?"

"Part of the Batfamily too. You just haven't realized it yet."

Wintergreen butted in. "Very well then. So I can take your Robin to Slade and have everything be okay? Is that how you want it?"

"Don't even _try_," Batman hissed.

Then he said something that chilled the HIVE agents to the core.

"Stay out of this city and keep your hands off of both Robins, and I'll leave you alone. But if you so dare as _touch_ them…"

"You'll kill us," Gizmo dismissed. "We get it."

"Make sure you _remember._"

Without so much as a sound, Batman and Robin then disappeared. Not before Robin gave Jinx a quick kiss on the cheek, though. She blushed a bit, unsure of the source of this contact, then steamed when she saw Mammoth and Gizmo laughing at her.

"_QUIET DOWN!_"

No sound now. She sighed.

"Okay. Good. We're ignoring Batman. Wintergreen actually gave me a good idea for once."

"What do you have in mind?" the tech whiz asked.

"I think we'll still ambush them…" Jinx paused to let this sink in, "but not _yet._ First we gotta wait until those Titan dorks settle down."

"When do you have in mind?"

The enchantress smiled at the reversal of roles and continued. "You have a good sense of time, Mammoth. Keep score for us. Gizmo, you're with me on fly duty. Winterdiot, stay here and make sure nobody spots us… oh wait, that won't do anything. Help us set up the traps."

"I don't know if this is a good idea," Wintergreen admitted.

"I took it from YOU! Be grateful!"

"At the moment, I'm not too thrilled. But all right." Suddenly, he was back in army mode. "Let's go, everyone! Move it, move it, MOVE IT!"

Maybe, just maybe, Bill Wintergreen would _succeed_ for a change.

* * *

**Lewa's POV**

I'll be frank. I like Beast Boy and Cyborg. They're really great people. Beast Boy _may_ be an obnoxious pain sometimes, but he can be funny when he wants to; and honestly, when he drops the façade, I'm struck by how much the guy reminds me of… well… _me_. Cyborg is a bit bombastic and tends to put a little too much detail into things, although again if you ignore this he can be very helpful. They both have great banter and it's a happy-joy getting to fight with them. Pohatu and Onua would have a field day with these two.

But when it comes to heated issues, things thatthe duo'll butt heads on for insanely stupid reasons, THEY WON'T STOP FUCKING _ARGUING_.

Case in point: meat or veggies. More specifically, which of the two would work better on pizza. Some bizarre-strange earthly force has conspired to make sure we _never_ get to order anything.

The other Titans and I were at DiDio's, attempting to buy said pizza. (As an aside, I have to agree with the masses. It really _does_ look like a pizza.) We were sitting on the rooftop patio, enjoying the sun beating down on our faces, fueling Beast Boy's argument, watching traffic go by, fueling Cyborg's argument. By Raven's count, they had been at this for a good 45 minutes, and it didn't look like it was going to stop.

At least the staff was sympathetic. "Handsome" had been standing by me and watching this argument, and I'm pretty sure I'd seen another raven-haired boy with piercing ice-blue eyes gave me a knowing look. They'd had it rough too.

"Do they ever _quit_?" Handsome muttured, eyes narrowed in a steely gaze.

"So far as _I_ know… nope."

Raven frowned. "You get used to it after a while."

"Lucky for you," Handsome said. "I've only seen you like three or four times and I'm _already_ pissed off. Should I just get you a Cheese Lovers then?"

"That would be nice- oh, wait." The witch winced faintly. "I think they're quieting down. Can we pleasejust _order_ something?"

"As long as it's vegetarian," Beast Boy replied, squatting on his stool.

"Come ON, man! How can you deny me the all-meet experience?"

"Who _cares_?" I said angrily. "Just let _us_ order for a change. For all I know they'll put _both_ on or something."

Beast Boy gasped. "Dude, I've _been _most of those animals!"

Why do I even _try?_

Thank goodness Starfire is always there to help. "I suggest a large pizza with pickles, bananas, and mint frosting." She beamed.

Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Raven were all disgusted by this, and Robin didn't seem too hot about it either. I didn't mind. What was the problem, really?

"Uh, Starfire?" Robin said, leaning over to her. "Not everything on the menu is a pizza topping."

I raised a mask ridge. "Really? You don't know if it'll be good or not."

"Believe me, I know."

"Really? Oh!" Starfire blushed at this. "Excuse me."

Cyborg grinned evilly. "What about… double pepperoni!"

Please. Just. Somebody kill me.

* * *

"_Double pepperoni!_"

"_I'm _not_ eating _meat_!"_

"_There's no meat in pepperoni!_"

Gizmo sighed to himself. Nothing out of the ordinary. Just the same old monkey-biters arguing over rotten shrimp-biscuits-

_BEEP. BEEP._

Suddenly, red crosshairs appeared over everyone's head. Just like on _The Punisher._ It was Gizmo's time to shine now.

_INITIATE MISSION._

"Gizmo to Jinx," he whispered into his radio.

"_Yeah, I'm here. What now?_"

"Begin… begin… Begin Phase One."

* * *

**Thus begins _Final Exam!_**

**This episode looks to be a pretty simple one, so it shouldn't be any more than three parts. (I'm setting myself up for some repentance later, aren't I?)**

**Again, sorry about the rant. It was just a concern I had about the story. I'll try not to acknowledge it later on.**

**Don't forget. Danny's still here.**

**1. I'm not sure if the Wilsons and HIVE ever interacted in the comics outside NTT issue #2 (where Slade first appears,) but it seems like they would know each other really well. Plus it gives me a chance to shoehorn some backstory in later on. Plus Ravager.**

**2. No need to worry! The Mahri will have some story importance later on too. Muse willing.**

**3. What did you think of that video adaption? I'm trying to incorporate any narrators into the narration itself, and I'm wondering if my solution works.**

**4. I was considering putting Slade and Wintergreen in the Gulf War or War in Afghanistan, ala Marvel, but fuck that shit they're probably pretty damn old. How else is Slade able to kick ass like that?**

**5. Jason Todd! What a cutie. Unfortunate to say he won't be Robin for long, as in the comics, but he DOES get a new and very unexplainable role. (its not too hard to guess i basically gave you the answer already)**

**One last thing- switching to bold for author's notes. Just to distinguish between them and the story.**

**Read and (hopefully) review!**


	38. Final Exam II

"Helryx? Where are the Toa?"

Krakua couldn't help but be curious. He'd spent a while protecting his island fortress, and after a while the Toa of Sonics'd actually gotten bored. The one person he could trust on to brighten up his mood was the leader of the Order (just the Order now, as with Mata Nui now dormant the organization's original purpose had been fulfilled.) Lately one thing that had been bugging him was that there were no Toa to be seen protecting Matoran other than Orde, Chiara, and Zanni- and even then, their coverage had been spotty.

"That depends on which Toa team you are talking about," the old Toa replied.

Krakua beamed. "Preferably the Nuva."

"Well... I'm afraid I do not know."

"What? But you must! You know _everything!_"

Helryx chuckled. "There are some things that even _I_ was not privy to." Then her gaze hardened. "And to answer your question... again, I do not know of the Nuva's whereabouts. Neither of the Mahri's, or your rogues, or for that matter..." she frowned, "not even the _Hagah_. Peculiar. Thank you for alerting me, Toa Krakua."

"You're welcome! But Toa- those aliens that bombed the city last week- I could've sworn Toa Lewa was involved somehow-"

"Kidnapped." She raised an eyebrow. "I was not aware I was to know of positions of the _entire_ Nuva."

"But where are _they_?" Krakua asked.

"Somewhere. I am sure. Given they all shared a special bond with Lewa, I'm sure they went out looking for him. You should assist them."

"I would in a heartlight flash, although my fortress is of most importance..."

"We will cover it." The Toa stopped at a door, blocked by a high-tech handprint scanner. "At the very least, Toa Krakua, go and check on their progress. From what I understand the Gordanians have left the planet, and if Toa Tahu or Toa Kopaka come out of this search empty..."

Krakua hastily nodded. He had not met either of them himself, but from what Takua had told them he knew they weren't likeable when they were angry. "It won't be pretty. Understood, Toa Helryx. I'm on it." He gave her the Order's salute before dashing off. Helryx smiled to herself. Oh, that Krakua. He was somewhat of a cad, but he genuinely wanted to help. The Toa didn't feel guilty about making him a Toa one bit.

* * *

Jinx, leaning by a parked bus and cupping a hand to her ear, nodded sagely and tossed a hex at the vehicle to tip it over. Rolling downhill, a sudden bump triggered its blaringly loud horn, alerting the Titans to the perils of a crying baby. As Beast Boy was quick to notice, its carriage was in the middle of a nearby crosswalk, putting it in danger of being flattened.

"Titans, GO!"

The Titans rapidly sprung into action. Starfire pushed the baby's carriage out of harm's way, while Cyborg, Raven, and Windflyer worked together to stop the bus; as the witch and the Toa watched, the metallic man stood in front of the vehicle and waited for it to reach him. Then he planted his body next to the front fender and _pushed_ as hard as he could, hoping and praying it would slow down. No use. When Windflyer's attempts with the Pakari proved just as futile, Raven stepped in and used her magic to switch the gearshift into park position, enabling Cyborg to put in a little more effort and finally bring the thing to a halt with a screeching skid. The three had completed their task with only a foot or two to spare.

Windflyer grinned madly and jumped into the open cab; after a moment or two his expression had been replaced with a confused frown. "Uh, guys? Forgive me for my lack of vehicular knowledge, but… don't buses normally have _drivers?_"

"And don't baby carriages normally have babies?" Robin parroted, looking into the carriage while Beast Boy and Starfire giggled at Windflyer's antics.

"Are you pit-sniffers normally this _stupid?_"

"Hey!" Windflyer growled. "I'm not _that… _uh oh."

A small brown teddy bear, which the Boy Wonder had been inspecting, suddenly turned to the curious Titans. It had a tinny speaker (perfect for mimicking) and dull green eyes which suddenly glowed, releasing laser beams which sent them _screaming_ through the air. Raven and Cyborg, standing in front of the bus, and Windflyer, still inside it, stared for a moment but were soon shocked themselves as the decoy vehicle tipped over on its back wheels and was slammed back down on them.

_BAM. _No more Titans.

Mammoth was infinitely proud of himself for doing the deed, and after releasing the bus and walking through a massive dust cloud, he felt even prouder. He eagerly brushed debris off himself while Gizmo laughed nastily, Jinx smirked, and Wintergreen just looked unnerved.

"Ah, man, that was _too_ easy! What a buncha cludge-heads." Gizmo looked to his friends. "You guys wanna get some pizza?"

"This isn't over!" Robin popped out of a nearby pile of garbage unceremoniously, accompanied by Starfire and Beast Boy (now in a trash can and sporting a banana peel on his head,) and dusted himself off.

Confused at this sudden reversal of fortune, the big lug turned to the bus. Were the others still dead? They'd have to be. A thousand tons of metal had been dropped over their skulls-

_FWIP!_

No, it seemed Cyborg had just jumped out of a hole created by his sonic cannon, the force of the attack blasting the vehicle off to the side. "We're just getting started!"

A bird-shaped shadow appeared behind him, releasing Raven and Windflyer to seal the deal. Raven scoffed at Mammoth and pulled her cloak over her chest.

"Who're _these_ guys?" Beast Boy wondered curiously. "And what's a 'cludge-head'?"

"We are the HIVE!"

"Your worst nightmare!" Mammoth rumbled.

_Hah, _Windflyer thought. _Quite likely-_

"And this is…" Jinx took a moment to smile coyly here, narrowing her eyes- "Attack Pattern Alpha!"

The HIVE Trio began pollinating their evil, basically. Jinx and Mammoth scrambled, leaving Gizmo to trigger a jetpack that blasted him into the air and also shot lasers at the alleyway. Chunks of masonry were dislodged by the sheer energy, falling off in large pieces right over the backend Titans. Raven scowled and headed for Jinx, engaging her in fast-paced and very intense spell-based combat. Windflyer considered helping the witch out, but decided to help Cyborg take on the large hunk of muscle that was Mammoth instead. As the robotic teen struggled, the Toa jumped in and pushed the HIVE agent back with his Pakari, sending him a few metres away.

"Not bad," Cyborg noted. "I think you're improving."

"Can't really improve with a Kanohi. These things are pretty static."

Cyborg frowned. "If anything, at least it's gettin' easier to fight with you-"

"Hey, _freaks!_"

The two turned to Mammoth, who despite his setback was now grinning widely.

"Sounds important," Windflyer hissed, slinking back a bit. "Do you think we should…"

Mammoth was still grinning. "What do you call two idiots with a couple of rockets on their backs?"

"Huh?"

"Um."

Neither was aware of their surroundings enough to note Gizmo sneaking in and placing said rockets in position.

The Air Toa answered the best he could. "Rocketeers?" he said hesitantly.

"_Doomed!_ _Hahahaaa!_"

_Gizmo._ _UGH._ That little piraka was going to get his just desserts sooner or later-

_OHNOWE'REFLYINGAWAYCRAPCRAPCRAPPIPSQUEAKWASRIGHTFU CKSHIT_

The Doctor Octopus ripoff put his control back in his backpack, stepping back and admiring his handiwork. Sweet, sweet victory.

As Cyborg and Windflyer were sent shrieking off into the distance, once again thanks to the lovable agents at HIVE, he felt obnoxious enough to give them a smug smile. "Enjoy your flight!" the inventor yelled, waving erratically.

What Gizmo didn't know is that the supposedly crushed Titans were still watching, having emerged from his rockslide. Starfire was the first to note the two flying erratically among the skyline, and the alien princess couldn't help but gasp.

"Cyborg! Windflyer!"

She sped off after them, giving Beast Boy and Robin some room to breathe, but found Gizmo's engineering wasn't _quite_ so perfect. The rockets quickly changed direction, forcing her to swiftly follow. Right below her, Jinx and Raven continued to fight. The Chronicler did not describe it because any attempts to do so would remind one WAY too much of Harry Potter. And Chroniclers always have to be mindful of plagiarism.

Thankfully, though, the magical portion of the battle did not last long. Jinx eventually got bored and began using martial arts instead, coming at Raven with a jumping spin kick. This was ducked pretty easily, allowing Raven to get behind the hex girl, dodge a few more strikes, and counter with a backhand. Also easily avoided, this time with a block.

"You fight like a girl," Jinx said, smirking.

"And you're gonna croak like a frog!"

Gizmo came back for some more action, this time wielding four spindly spider-like legs; yet _more _plagiarism. He dutifully swerved the copyright challenge by shooting a plasma blast in Raven's face. It hit her right on the mark, sending her flying back straight into Robin's chest- _WHAM._

Ouch.

Beast Boy was really pumped now. Those HIVE whatsits had gone _way_ too far. Okay, the baby thing was actually kinda funny, but _this_? They weren't allowed to mess with his friends like that! Especially not _Cyborg!_ Was this retribution for earlier or something?

Whatever the case, he quickly ran by the two downed Titans, grunting in the process, and turned into an elephant. Beast Boy continued on his angry stampede but was surprisingly stopped by his ancestor, who grunted as well and-

Lifted him _clean off his feet._

_The big lug fucking LIFTED HIM._

"Mammoth's gonna make you extinct!"

"Beast Boy!" Robin yelled, getting up and running towards the HIVE agents. "Hang on!"

Mammoth didn't give Robin much time. He threw Beast Boy straight into the air and _slammed_ him down, giving him a jumping punch on the return trip for good measure. The Boy Wonder very quickly found himself in the path of a tumbling tusker, whose DNA was grateful enough to change him back into normal before the duo collided; sending both back to Raven.

"Is it just me," Beast Boy had to add, "or are we… getting our butts kicked?"

"It's just you."

Raven and Robin looked at each other hesitantly before Robin panted, "Listen up, team. I have a plan-"

_FWIPFWIP_

_BOOM._

Two more plasma shots exploded by the motley group, expelling Raven and Beast Boy. Robin was quick enough to dodge- thank god for those acrobatics skills- and watched them get shot over a block away. He turned to Gizmo now very much incensed; enough was enough.

Gizmo beamed. "Gee _whiz,_ scrum-buffer! Sure hope your fancy 'plan' involves getting fried!"

The inventor's weapon poked over his shoulder, raising itself to the Boy Wonder's level. Robin stood his ground and got into a fighting stance. He grinned darkly.

"You'll just have to find out the hard way."

Robin held out an open hand towards Gizmo and flicked back his fingers. _Bring it on._

_FWIP_

Gizmo responded by homing in his laser gun and shooting the ground in front of him. Wait, what was THAT going to do-

_CREEEAAAK._

A long, skinny crack in the asphalt made itself known. Jinx quickly noticed and backflipping straight for the Boy Wonder, landed on her knees and added a catalyst of her own- a hex. This, unfortunately, caused it to break open even wider. Finally Mammoth, yelling loudly, prepared the final blow; he jumped _high_ into the air and came down upon the fault with a mighty _CRASH._ The break had now been so abused that it opened to its full width and began dislodging the road as it battled down to Robin.

Did we mention Jump City was built right on a massive fault line?

Robin tried to keep his cool for as long as he could, but this did nothing. No matter how hard he tried, he could just not stay upright. Thanks to a little coercion from Jinx, he was sent straight into the chasm.

"_AAAAAAHHH!"_

"Don't break your legs on the way down!"

Gizmo smiled for a bit, then frowned at his leader. "_Now_ can we get some pizza?"

"Yes," Wintergreen admitted, coming out of his unapparent hiding place. "I do believe that would be nice. Very well done, you lot, but I'd rather talk over the kinks with you over some lunch."

Mammoth just pleaded with Jinx, eyes wide and innocent.

Jinx scoffed. "Nice try. I _wish_ we could try out that deplorable little place, just as much as you guys, but…" she gave off a catlike grin, "there's still _one_ little thing we have to do first…"

Raven and Beast Boy limped along the sidewalk. They'd been knocked unconscious in the blast, and it was only now that Raven suggested going after the HIVE. Not too long ago they had heard a series of blasts, a crack, and a bloodcurdling scream; Raven was anxious of having her suspicions confirmed, but Beast Boy was… less sure. He had jumped around a bit, yelling Robin's name whenever he could. The witch stopped him before he could hurt his leg any further.

The two came up to the fault line. Sure enough, a giant chasm had inconceivably appeared. Beast Boy didn't want to believe Raven for… _anything_, really, but looking into the murky tide of the Jump City Sewers he had to admit she was-

Right.

"Robin!"

* * *

Robyn Chau was highly, _highly_ surprised to see UFOs by her control tower.

Keystone City International never really got those. Okay, _fine_, you could count the constant supervillain attacks, but _those_ weren't anything interesting! Most of the time any unauthorized activity was just Captain Cold and Weather Wizard, blasting the runway again and again. _Gee, _thanks_, Kid Flash. You _really_ saved my butt out there._

But these?

These were a couple of stragglers, flying across the tarmac with a couple of rockets! No joke! Robyn wasn't sure _why_ someone would want to put him or herself in danger like that, but she had to hand it to them for their enthusiasm.

Now if only Mister Twister could show up…

Chau chewed a pen while pondering over the possibility. _That_ would really brighten up her day.

_FWWIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHH_

_ "CAN YOU NOT _CONTROL_ THIS THING!?"_

"_NO! MUCH-TRIED AS HARD AS I CAN! NOT-USE!"_

Apparently Windflyer's powers were not strong enough to stop rockets; the things went too fast to even be touched. They had been trying to get off this wild ride for an hour, to no avail. Cyborg worried they would go halfway around the _world_ before the Titans found them. The Toa wasn't so sure.

"_DO YOU THINK WE'RE GOING TO DIE?"_ Cyborg yelled hesitantly.

"_WHAT? SERIOUSLY?" _Windflyer frowned. _"MAAAYBE WE'LL GET BADLY INJURED OR SOMETHING, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'LL BE BAD ENOUGH TO-"_

"Friends!"

"_Starfire!_"

No need to worry. Starfire was flying right behind them, eyes glowing in a frantic attempt to destroy Gizmo's inventions in their tracks. She was a little frazzled, but otherwise seemed all right.

"What ails you, friends? I saw the rocket carry you away, but I was not aware that- that _horrible _invention would cause such a problem!"

Cyborg winced, part out of exhaustion and part out of anxiety. "Yeah, well, little bald brat's got a good eye for technology."

"When I get my hands on him," Windflyer growled, smushing his palm with a fist, "that piraka won't even have the chance to _apologize!_"

Cyborg and Starfire stared at their friend. He laughed sheepishly. "Only kidding. Starfire, mind getting these things off us?"

Starfire smiled. "I will see what I can do."

She created two starbolts, aiming them for Cyborg and Windflyer's rockets…

And fired.

_BAM!_

Wow, what a light show!

Her friends were going to be _SO _jealous. Robyn Chau, air traffic controller at a dingy Midwestern airport, witness to rocket-bearing thrillseekers and a massive neon-green explosion- wait, were those guys okay?

They were caught in that blast, Robyn was sure. And it was a doozy. _Looks like I'd better radio in, to see if they came out of this unhurt…_

"Hello? KSC ATC, calling unidentified flying object number 03719… Do you copy?"

"_Loud and clear, miss!_"

WOAH! That was- that was- that was…

She wasn't _too_ invested in current events (Trekkr took up a lot of time,) but Chau was pretty damn sure that was Cyborg-

CYBORG, of the new Teen Titans! _Holy Toledo!_

The girl was hesitant to pick up the radio again; the fact that a SUPERHERO had just returned her message made her so star-struck it wasn't even funny. It wasn't Flash, it wasn't Hawkgirl, it wasn't Wonder Girl or Black Canary or Speedy; hell- it wasn't even _Deadman_- but DAMN! What a score.

After a short fumble with her console and a near miss getting electrocuted, Robyn had recovered enough to continue her intrusion. "What're- what… what are _YOU_ doing here?"

Cyborg laughed a bit. "_Flew here._"

"Yeah, I know," Chau couldn't deny laughing at that joke- "but I just wanted to know _why?_ Under NAAA regulations, you're not- _huhuhuh_… not _technically_ allowed to be over this airspace."

"_Would it help if speak-told we didn't know-mean?"_

Windflyer too? Wow, this was a rush.

"Maybe a little… still, though. I'm- um- I'm gonna have to ask you to- could you… puh-please l-land?"

"_Certainly. We would not mean to discourage this NAAA's efforts._" A feminine voice this time, traipsing over syllables and having especially much trouble with the lone acronym. That could only mean- _Starfire!_

What if the entire team was here?

* * *

**Kraken's POV**

Your training is going along _very _well.

The "Top Graduates" just left to complete their mission. Master and Fairsworth are following them way too closely. That means you've been left alone to frolic in the Academy.

There're not too many people here, though. It's summer and apparently that means people want to take a "vacation". _Seriously?_ For THIS? On _your _planet, people didn't have _time_ for frivolous things. At least you're not getting raided on or something- the halls all seem to be very peaceful.

So peaceful, in fact, that you're considering screwing Blood over and leaving this joint all together.

Thankfully, a smooth deep voice shakes you out of your reverie. Someone else is still in the building- why she'd stay when literally everyone has left or is cheering the HIVE agents on, you'll never know. Might as well go see what the girl's up to.

* * *

**Robyn's POV**

Well, Mr. Narrator Man, you were wrong. It wasn't _quite_ the whole Teen Titans, just the three I encountered over radio.

But again, DAMN. If there was any one superhero team which I could quantify as being the greatest, most funnest ever, they would very much cut it!

I didn't have to wait long before Starfire carried Cyborg down while Windflyer levitated himself. How does he even _do_ that, anyway? Some kind of secret tribal magic? Not to be racist or anything, but he _does_ seem very… Polynesian (fuck I AM being racist.) In the armour design and the weapon and the style of speech and all. Makes me wonder if he got into trouble with them when he got here- hah, that'd be funny.

Then I had to wait a bit _more_ while the Titans were presumably being interrogated by airport security. Goddamn Cecil. I like him, but he's slow and takes _waaay_ too much time in doing everything. It's counterproductive for both passenger and operator.

Still, though, he _does_ get the job done… and as such, I was eternally grateful when the elevator _pinged!,_ signaling its arrival, and the doors swooshed open to reveal the three heroes. I don't want to say I was starstruck… but… I was starstruck.

"It's- it's nice to finally meet you," I blubbered, eyes wide with excitement.

Starfire smiled warmly. "It is nice to meet you as well!" Gesturing to Cyborg and Windflyer, she continued, "Please. Allow me to introduce my brethren, Cyborg and Windflyer."

"I kind of... already kn-know them…"

"Fine by me, little lady," Cyborg said, tipping his nonexistent hat. Windflyer smirked and said "Hola!"

The Teen Titans aren't exactly my _favourite_ superheroes (that honour falls to the Flash family Kid Flash and Old Flash _oh my god,_) but they're pretty high up on the list. I mean WOW. For a group of teenagers with horrible, angsty pasts who were smushed together by fate, they handle themselves really, really well! That _family dynamic and fighting prowess._ What I wouldn't give to spend a day in the Tower with 'em.

Sigh… ain't gonna happen, though. Not while I'm in college and need a job. Still, a girl can dream, right?

So all I could really say was "Hola" right back.

I knew I had to get down to business, though, so I hardened my gaze and stared straight at Cyborg; as the resident tech geek of the group, he probably played a part in this. "Erm…" I scratched my hair… "So… _why_ did you say you were here aga- _WHOAH!_"

Starfire was suddenly in my face. She wasn't being _menacing_ or anything, only curious, but the fact that she showed up with out warning scared the bejeezus out of me. Giving off a hesitant smile, I prepared to ask what she wanted when the girl answered that for me.

"Please," she said, smiling really widely now, "I wish to ask if I may… be your friend."

What was I SUPPOSED to say? "Um yeah, sorry, but that's pretty creepy and could you kinda get outta my _FACE_ first?" Jeez, I'm not _that_ cruel. I'd never want to make Starfire cry like that. But personal space is a real issue of mine I get anxious when people get on to me like that it doesn't matter if she could blast my head off in an instant god almighty I need to KEEP IT!

Grinning cooly, I replied, "I actually already am." Simple and effective. Nice one, Chau.

Looking back I realize that _was_ kind of mean. She was just offering her friendship and I turned it all the way around. Thankfully, though, Starfire is… more than a _bit_ of a ditz.

"Oh, thank you, new friend… um…"

"Robyn." I crossed my arms in a "Hell fucking yes" pose. "Robyn Yin Li Chau-"

"Thank you, new friend Robyn Yin Li Chau!" _Ow!_ I was pretty sure I couldn't feel my ribs now. Starfire had picked me up in a bone-crushing hug and while it felt nice she kind of put a bit… _too_ much pressure on it. No harm done though, really. It wouldn't be too hard to pop down to the hospital and get it healed- or, if I was lucky, the Watchtower. In Flash's arms.

Windflyer noticed my distress call and raised a finger to object. "Uh, Starfire-sister? I think you need to be-"

"Less intrusive," Cyborg finished, slowly making his way over to me.

Starfire frowned. "You mean to say that I should not embrace all new friends I meet-"

"She's going to asphyxiate, Star."

"What?" A high-pitched gasp which was actually quite adorable. Starfire looked at me to see if her friends were right and must have gotten the message for she quickly let go and put me down. "Oh! I apologize, new friend Robyn Yin Li Chau. I did not intend to injure you so painfully."

I sighed in relief- thanks, Cyborg. "S'cool. I never get too many visitors up here in the control tower, so it's nice to get some human contact once in a while."

"New friend Robyn Yin Li Chau, do you speak of the atrocity my teammate Raven refers to as… antisockialization?"

Cyborg chortled. "That's anti_social_ization. And I feel bad, man. Bad but also kind of good. I mean- you have such an important job, and we ruined it with our fighting, but you're obviously very happy to see us, so… I don't know."

"Well, when you put it that way, I guess I don't mind. Care to answer my question, though?"

Windflyer rolls his eyes but is quick to answer. Do you know many say he may have had siblings? Whom he had _relationships with?_ Certainly explains his behavior. "We were fight-battling a team which calls themselves HIVE, our worst nightmare-dream. Screw-biter here was taking on a mammoth man, and I saw it fit to go and assist-help." He sighed. "Fortunately, Starfire was right on our tails- unfortunately, it took her a while to catch up with us."

"The rockets?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "He put them on you?"

"_She,_ I think. Much-sounded like a lady, and she kind of acted like one too…"

Cyborg was quick to laugh at him, guffawing loudly enough to shake the small room. I feel bad for Le- oops; don't tell him I said that! "Uh, Windflyer? I think that was a _male._"

"Really now?"

"Well, uh- no offense, Robyn, but- girls don't get into that kind of technology too often."

I glowered. "I'm not even _here, _am I?"

"I _said_ no offense!" Cyborg glowered right back. Windflyer seemed king of apologetic, and Starfire was just… out there.

"Wait!" she yelled. "You are tangible and among us, yes? How can you say you are not? The only way this can be so is if you were right now kidnapped, and even I am keen enough to note that you remain standing in your-" Starfire gasped again, taking a short breath, and her eyes widened as big as dishes. "_Robin!_"

Windflyer palmed his mask. "Shoot! Almost forgot! I mean… _we_ almost forgot. Sorry, Robyn Lin Yi Chau-friend-"

"You don't have to call me all that," I reddened. "Just Robyn is fine."

"Alright then, Robyn-friend. I am ever-sorry, but back-home we must go to aid him… and Raven and Beast Boy too. Believe-not I missed them out too, but quickly-will-"

"Kind of slipping back into that weird speaking habit there," Cyborg noted.

"Yeah." Windflyer blushed. "Bad habit. Before I have to reiterate myself a _third_ time, we should better head off-"

"What happened to them? Are those… did those HIVE guys have anything to do with it?"

"Pretty much."

"They are deplorable beings," Starfire said, eyes beginning to glow. "The tiny bald-headed child abused the sanctity of a human baby to wrongfully attract us to him, and the girl with strange hair and the mammoth man attempted to kill us. We cannot let them get away with their crimes."

I smiled evilly. "Cool. Good luck. Just… make sure you clear the debris from-"

"Already covered." Cyborg motioned outside. "Starfire wrapped that up quite nicely." He headed for the elevator, calling it up to our level. "Nice meeting you, Robyn! Keep up the good work!"

"You too!"

"Uh-" Windflyer faulted- "what he said. You appear to be doing great things."

"It's just air traffic control, really," I replied, cutting him off before he could slap me on the back. With Starfire, however… I was not so lucky. She squeezed me in another hug before paling and putting me down- again, though, the girl was quick to smile. "New friend Robyn Lin Y- um, I mean… New friend Robyn, I too wish you good luck in your endeavours. But before I go, I must ask…"

I tensed, ready for a serious question like joining the Titans or the Justice League or something. Alas, that was not to be-

"I am Starfire. What is your name, what is your favourite colour, where do you come from, and do you wish to be _my_ friend?"

"Hey, Starfire. You already asked me that first one, er… red? Gold? Fuck, I don't know. Red. I live in Keystone, and…" I took a moment on this last one. I knew Starfire already considered herself pretty chummy with me, but I kind of got the feeling I'd let her down before…

"Sure."

One last hug before she ran into the elevator that Windflyer was so _desperately _holding and waving madly. "Goodbye, friend Robyn! Pray you do not encounter more flying objects of the unidentified kind!"

I just _had_ to wave back. "See ya."

_Finally_! It was _over!_ Sighing in relief, I sunk back down into my chair, picked up my cuppa, and watched as Windflyer fumbled in carrying Cyborg (leading Starfire to pick him up) and the three Teen Titans flew away.

Like I said. The Titans. _Fucking great superhero team._

Now look at me. Robyn Yin Li Chau, working a dead shift in a deadbeat airport, living in the middle of nowhere almost, and pining over a family of exceedingly hot speedsters. I am a wreck.

* * *

"That didn't just happen. Tell me that didn't just happen."

Beast Boy and Raven returned to the Tower, lazily shambling into the sunlit entrance hall. Beast Boy had a very obvious limp and was holding onto Raven and it was clear the witch was not holding up too well either. She helped Beast Boy into one of the hall's plush armchairs and sighed as he rubbed his sore leg.

"That didn't just happen. Tell me that didn't just happen."

Raven stared at Beast Boy while he internally panicked. She wanted to shut him up, but could not deny that he was right- they'd dun good.

"That didn't just happen. Tell me that didn't just-"

"It _did_ happen," Raven finally said. "We cannot change the truth, no matter how much we dislike it." Sighing again, she held a hand to Beast Boy's leg and muttered her mantra. Black energy formed around it, enveloping the limb in a glow before dissipating. Beast Boy frowned a bit before smiling.

"Who knew we had a doctor in the house?" he said, now grinning. "Thanks."

"No problem." Raven narrowed her eyes. "Now," she rasped, "we need to find Robin and the others before HIVE attacks again-"

_WHOOOSH._

Her plea was partially answered. The door opened, sliding out of existence to reveal three figures- Raven and Beast Boy gave each other nervous looks, before silently relaxing as they were revealed to be Cyborg, Starfire, and Windflyer; each carrying ear-to-ear smiles.

"Maybe y'all should call me Flyborg," Cyborg joked as the door closed again. "We were halfway to Gotham before Starfire zapped those things off our backs. So-" he rubbed his hands together- "what'd I miss?"

Neither of the sitting Titans could bear to answer him.

Windflyer frowned, raising a mask ridge. "Brother? Sister? Something happen?"

"Tell me how we kicked their butts. C'mon," growing increasingly desperate now, "I gotta have the play-by-play!"

"Where is Robin?"

"Um…" Beast Boy paled. "Uh, Star? We're- I mean, I'm not sure."

"Not sure? Why are you not-"

Raven picked up her frenemy's slack. "We searched everywhere. And all we found was this." She produced a small object from beneath her cloak…

Rob_i_n's utility belt.

Starfire gasped, covering her mouth. Cyborg groaned and facepalmed. Windflyer just stared blankly.

"I shoulda been there," Cyborg said. "I let that kid sneak up on us and- what were we-" He finally sighed. "It was a trap, and I- I shoulda known."

"Don't beat yourself up over it, Cy-brother. It wasn't your_ entire_ fault. All the same, though- wasn't Robin _with_ you? Did he get lost in the crossfire or something?"

Starfire pouted. "I do not understand. How could you not FIND him?" She glared daggers at Raven. "People do not just vanish! He has to be _SOMEplace,_ so go there and look!"

Thinking quickly for once, Beast Boy put himself in between the girls. "Easy, Star. Come _on_. This is _Robin_ we're talkin' about! I'm sure he's _fine._ He'll probably turn up any second-"

_WHOOOSH._

"Awesome timing!"

"I'll get it!" Windflyer yelled.

"Robin!"

The two flew towards the door. Once there, Windflyer walked forward to see who the visitor was- as he and Starfire went through the threshold, however, the entrance disappeared in a mighty explosion that was forceful enough to send them flying back. A massive dust cloud was thrown up; when it dissipated, the HIVE agents were revealed.

Beast Boy paled once more. "Oh, _no._"

"Oh, _YES_." Jinx smirked, Mammoth cracked his knuckles. Gizmo checked over his mechanical ripoff legs. The Titans sans Robin got into a fighting stance.

"You guys got lucky last time," Cyborg growled, "but you're in _our_ house now!"

Gizmo advanced and held up a leg. "Yeah, nice place. We'll take it!"

Windflyer snarled, eyes glowing. "I'd like to see you _try._"

He would later be told to eat his words.

* * *

**not too many notes here sorry I am tired :(**

**1. I am honestly throwing in Bionicle scenes at random. If this is a problem, tell me.**

**2. Is Gizmo not a Doc Ock homage because from what I understand he is?**

**3. As with Blood, I am unawares if it is too early to introduce Bumblebee. (OOPS SPOILERS *RIVERSONG*) Again, alert me if this disturbs canon or fanon or something.**

**4. Robyn Chau came out of nowhere but I am happy that I created her because she very much helps explain why Cyborg and Starfire were so _happy_ coming back to the Tower. (we will never know why and i am greatly at fault for not making siblingfic for this unexplored moment)**

**5. This episode is being _MUCH_ easier to write. Just thought I'd let you know.**

**My point on reviews still stands; I greatly appreciate any support I get, be it good or bad. I wonder if the problem is that I asked people to review only if they liked it? I don't know. Should I rewrite this story? To make it shorter or smoother or something like that? Or is that not the reason I'm not getting any reviews?**

**Read and comment!**


	39. Notice

**I'm junking this story.**

**It's not over, but I'm junking it anyway.**

**I began looking over the fic from the time I first posted this chapter and realized it wasn't working out well AT ALL. Everything felt aimless, boring, and generally unfun. When writing using a text that isn't even your_ own_ is a slog, there's definitely gotta be something underfoot.**

**I'm in the process of rewriting (similar to what Dreams2Paper11 is doing with _Haunted Memories_) to quash out a few glaring flaws, and I thought you'd like to know the ones I hate the most in particular:**

* * *

**-The _length_. Holy Jesus, the LENGTH. 161,022 words in and we're _still _only on the fourth episode. I spent a good 50,000 on the first episode alone. Titans Phantom, which I believe is the farthest into canon, just clipped _Season 3_ and it has 281,477 to its name. I don't know if that says anything about my writing style, or the fact that I have to squeeze in as much as I possibly can, but this definitely won't do. I want things to be substantial but I don't want a 500k+ or *shudder* 1000k+ dedicated to this one fucking crossover alone. There are better things I can be writing for; and besides, shorter is sweeter as is. That means I'll have to take out...**

**-The subplots. I don't know about you, but in a story focusing on the main character, shouldn't the focus be, well... on the _main character? _I know I should be putting elements from both canons into the mix, yeah, but not to the extent that half the time is being dedicated to aimless expeditions (in the Nuva's, Gresh's, and Malum/Akhmou/Lobo's case) or boring character studies (Kiina's.) ****They're unnecessary. **They have to go. I'll find some way to work everything in that doesn't involve Lewa's PoV being sidetracked. 

**-The characters... yeah, it was pretty obvious I hadn't watched TT in a while. All of the Titans' new lines and actions felt very inorganic. I've since watched Teen Titans Go! (which is a great show if you ignore the fact that it's not Season 6- ignore the haters and at least give it a try-) and I feel I've gained a good grasp on them again. Hopefully from now on I can keep writing them with their voice- blegh, I am _not _having Cyborg, BB, or Starfire act like that again.**

**-The fourth-wall-breaking and meta jokes, which again aren't necessary. Yes, this story IS in the Humour category, and I intend to keep it that way, but admittedly none of the Chronicler's actions were funny. In the interim since I've last written it's become incredibly clear that I need to rein in the comedy, let the story shine, and- god forbid- _raise the stakes._ Having the omnipresent self-insert author comment on the potential autism he's accrued by jotting down stolen scripts and editing them slightly is not doing much to change them.**

**-The romantic angle- completely inane- and the asinine character relationships. Fuck 'em.**

**-A general lack of focus. Lewa has joined the Teen Titans- okay- but what exactly is he _doing?_ Commandeering everything for himself? Tagging along as the others' chew toy? I had a plan at the start- go through the series with him tacked on- but as I wrote I kept adding things that didn't mesh with it; it showed my total lack of skill. From here on out I have my own story, and I'm stickin' to it.**

**-My erratic writing schedule and the lack of a beta to keep it in check. Thanks to CIF-lover for offering to help me out.**

**-The plagiarism- no way, Jose, not happening again. I'll actually _WATCH_ the series this time, even if it takes me ages to get things right.**

* * *

**Sorry for any inconvenience- or rather _lack thereof_, as I've barely gotten any reviews. Hopefully I can come up with something that both makes sense and is fun to read through at the same time. I'm writing a Danny Phantom/Scooby-Doo: Mystery Incorporated crossover, as I mentioned on my Tumblr, and I have plans to write two general fics- a purely Bionicle story and a purely Teen Titans one; maybe those will catch your interest instead? ****Expect the first revised chapter of this story soon. I promise. I've seen the light. **

**Later days!**


	40. IMPORTANT

**hello there chums. sorry for those who were expecting an actual chapter but got this instead. i would like to remind everyone that i am in the "process" of rewriting this story under a new name, _titanic destiny_. i'd hoped that everyone would've focused their attention on that story instead but some people have been following this one instead. just wanted to tell y'all that _toa titans _is scrapped and i'm not doing anything more with it; i've started writing chapter 3 of _titanic destiny_ but haven't finished it yet. i'll update that story with more info when i do. thanks again.**


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